ri 


George  Washington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 
FAMILY  OF 
COLONEL  FLOWERS 


■    s  rr^      C  - 


/if 


/■ 

/ 


SOME  ACCOUNT 

OF 

THE  SOCIETY 

OP 

THE  CINCINNATI. 

BY  ALEXANDER  JOHNSTON. 


(15) 


Digitized 

Iby 

tine  Internet 

Arclii 

ive 

in  2015 

Iittps://arcliive.org/details/cincinnati01jolin 


€"lie  lorirfij  nf  tjie  CinriEmrti. 


Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  of  the 

Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania: 

When  I  accepted  the  flattering  invitation  to  read  a 
paper  before  this  Society,  I  recollected  that  I  had  certain 
facilities  of  access  to  a  new  and  original  source  of  infor- 
mation, capable  of  throwing  light  upon  a  subject  con- 
nected with  our  Revolutionary  annals,  which  has  hitherto 
met  with  a  neglect  on  the  part  of  historians  that  is  easily 
accounted  for — not  because  the  matter  itself  is  of  second- 
ary consideration,  but  because  of  the  great  poverty  of 
material. 

I  am  indebted  to  the  Secretary-General  of  the  Society 
of  the  Cincinnati  for  the  liberty  of  referring  to  the  archives 
of  that  institution. 

I  soon  found  myself  embarrassed  with  the  riches  of  a 
chest  containing  all  the  inedited  correspondence  and  the 
other  records  that  have  been  accumulated  since  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Society. 

2  (17) 


t/j    V  i 


18 

the  society  of 

Here  are  the 

autographs  of 

Washington, 

Pinckney, 

Lincoln, 

Lafayette, 

Moultrie, 

St.  Clair, 

Hamilton, 

Steuben, 

Putnam,  and 

Knox, 

Mifflin, 

Paul  Jones. 

Gates, 

VV  AY NL, 

Greene, 

Lee, 

of  ROCHAMBEAU^ 

Destouches, 

DE  Segur, 

Luzerne, 

GOUVION, 

The  Prince  de 

d'Estaing, 

Du  Plessis, 

CoNDE,  and 

de  la  Grasse, 

DE  NOAILLES, 

Louis  XYL 

These,  with  many  others,  the  most  distinguished  names 
of  the  most  distinguished  era  in  our  national  history,  gave 
importance  to  the  documents  over  which  I  had  control, 
and  sufficiently  impressed  me  with  the  dignity  of  my 
subject.  ■    ^  ' 

But,  as  this  rare  and  interesting  repository  is  shortly  to 
pass  into  abler  hands  than  mine,  I  dipped  but  sparingly 
into  its  contents ;  using  it  rather  to  modify  or  embellish 
what  I  could  derive  from  other  sources,  than  to  anticipate 
by  any  feeble  effort  of  my  own  the  pleasant  task  of  a 
more  extended  compilation.  Still,  I  adhered  to  my  origi- 
nal design;  and,  in  the  paper  which  I  will  have  the  honour 
to  read  before  you  this  evening,  I  propose  to  give  some 
account  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati. 

The  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War  was  a  critical  period 
in  the  history  of  the  infant  Republic.  After  hostilities 
had  ceased,  but  while  Sir  Guy  Carleton  still  held  the  city 
of  New  York,  and  before  the  terms  of  a  definite  treaty 


THE    C  I  X  C  I  X  X  A  T  I . 


19 


of  peace  had  been  duly  settled,  the  American  forces  lay 

encamped  at  Newburgh,  on  the  banks  of  the  Hudson. 

No  longer  occupied  by  dangers  from  without^  their 

thoughts  naturally  turned  to  the  change  that  would  be 

effected  in  their  condition  at  the  disband ment  of  the  armv. 

%/ 

The  din  of  battle  was  hushed,  the  clouds  of  smoke  which 
had  enveloped  the  field  were  risen;  and  they  saw  before 
them,  dimly  enough,  an  uncertain  prospect,  which  the 
spirit  of  mutiny  threatened  to  invest  with  all  its  former 
darkness. 

Eight  years  had  elapsed  since  the  first  blood  was  spilled 
at  Lexington.  The  ploughshares  and  pruning-hooks  which 
were  then  beaten  into  deadlier  weapons,  had  since  become 
well-tempered  steel,  and  were  not  so  easily  to  be  beaten 
again  into  ploughshares  and  pruning-hooks. 

The  soldiers,  drafted  as  they  were  from  every  condition 
in  life,  had  lost  in  that  interval  some  their  tastes  for 
the  arts  of  peace,  and  others  their  skill  in  cultivating 
them  —  the  craftsman  his  cunning,  the  lawyer  his  learn- 
ing, the  man  of  letters  his  fondness  for  books.  Both  officers 
and  men  easilv  foresaw  the  embarrassments  that  awaited 
their  retirement  from  the  field.  They  knew  that  with 
their  arms  the}'  would  put  off  much  of  the  military 
j)restige  that  sustained  them  during  the  conflict,  and, 
thrown  upon  their  own  meagre  resources,  their  depend- 
ence must  be  slight  in  the  extreme.  The  arrearages  of 
pay  already  amounted  to  a  heavy  debt,  for  which  no  ade- 
quate provision  had  been  made.  In  this  extremitj^,  they 
looked  to  the  Congress  then  assembled  in  Philadelphia. 
But  here  they  were  met  by  a  temporizing  policy,  com- 


20 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


plaints  of  an  exhausted  exchequer,  and  the  claims  of  the 
toga  once  more  to  assert  its  ascendency  —  an  opposition 
chiefly  due  to  the  influence  exerted  outside  of  the  Hall, 
by  such  as  had  idly  awaited  the  issue  of  the  war,  but  who 
were  now,  of  a  sudden,  become  clamorously  patriotic. 

These  watchful  guardians  of  the  commonweal,  with  an 
alacrity  they  never  exhibited  in  the  hour  of  real  peril, 
flew  to  their  pens,  and  became  "  Cassius "  and  "  Civis," 
"Yox  Populi"  and  "  Publicola,"  in  the  journals  and 
pamphlets  of  the  day.  They  looked  with  a  jealous  eye 
upon  the  proposal  to  found  a  retired  list,  or  anything  in 
the  nature  of  a  pension  to  smooth  the  declining  years,  or 
to  support  the  impoverished  families,  of  those  who  had 
left  their  homes  in  the  hour  of  need,  to  lay  down  their 
lives  for  their  country.  They  aflected  to  see  in  this 
simple  act  of  justice  something  fatal  to  the  spirit  of 
equality,  and  declared  that  half-pay  for  life  was  but  the 
first  step  towards  the  introduction  of  a  privileged  class  of 
stipendiaries  upon  the  common  purse. 

Nevertheless,  a  bill  to  that  eflect  was  actually  passed ; 
but,  backed  as  it  was  by  neither  coin  nor  credit,  to  give  it 
due  significance,  a  proposal  to  commute  the  half-pay  for 
life  to  five  years'  full-pay,  was  generally  acceded  to ;  and 
certificates  indefinitely  promissory  were  issued  on  the  faith 
of  the  Congress.  These  tickets  of  commutation  were  freely 
parted  with  by  the  needy  beneficiaries  of  so  slender  a 
bounty,  to  the  more  provident  civilians,  at  the  ruinous 
depreciation  of  six  shillings  in  the  pound. 

Whilst  these  things  were  agitating  the  calmer  councils 
of  a  deliberative  body,  the  turbulence  in  the  camp  had 


THE    CI  X  CI  XX  ATI. 


21 


reached  a  formidable  pitch,  and  the  murmurs  of  the  dis- 
affected soon  claimed  the  serious  attention  of  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief The  desperate  alternative  was  even 
proposed  of  relinquishing  the  service  in  a  body  if  the 
war  continued,  or.  in  case  of  peace,  still  to  retain  their 
arms,  in  defiance  of  the  civil  authority.  A  military  dic- 
tatorship was  held  preferable  to  a  condition  of  things 
where  sufferings  and  privations  such  as  they  had  just 
undergone  could  be  slightingly  passed  over  hy  an  un- 
grateful republic.  The  signs  of  disaffection  spread  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  camp  :  wherever  a  soldier  was  to  be 
found,  the  rebellious  spirit  was  extant.  Soon  after,  at 
Philadelphia,  a  band  of  military  insurgents  menaced  the 
hall  of  legislation  itself,  an^l  the  representatives  of  the 
people  were  obliged  to  seek  refuge  in  Princeton  from  the 
dangers  of  an  assault. 

It  was  then  that  AA^ashington  exhibited  that  exquisite 
tact  that  has  more  than  once  saved  his  country;  when, 
without  compromising  his  dignity,  he  could  pay  a  proper 
deference  to  either  extreme  of  party,  and.  by  marshahng 
together  the  allied  forces  of  mutual  concession,  courtesy, 
and  kindness,  put  to  rout  the  spirits  of  discord,  with  a 
skill  far  beyondt  the  most  brilliant  exploits  of  strategy. 
His  moderate  counsels  soon  calmed  the  general  agitation; 
and  everywhere  order  and  discipline  were  once  more  re- 
stored, within  the  sphere  of  that  august  presence. 

MeauAvhile.  certain  of  his  companions  in  arms,  fully 
impressed  with  the  danger  of  the  doctrines  that  had  been 
broached  in  their  midst,  determined  to  mark  their  disap- 
probation by  some  signal  device ;  and  happily  hit  upon  an 


22  THESOCIETYOF 

expedient  that  met  with  the  cordial  approval  of  their 
illustrious  chief. 

The  human  mind  is  so  constituted  as  naturally  to  seek 
in  signs  and  symbols  those  impressions  which  a  simple 
abstract  idea  is  incapable  of  fully  imparting.  The  very 
term  impression  is  co-relative  to  something  palpably  obtru- 
sive ;  and  to  overlook  this  principle  argues  a  weakness  of 
philosophy  which,  as  well  in  religion  as  in  politics,  must 
eventually  yield  to  the  natural  cravings  of  the  common 
mind.  It  is  all  very  true,  and  no  one  will  deny  the  pro- 
position, that  it  is  the  part  of  a  good  citizen,  in  time  of 
peace,  to  lay  down  the  arms  he  has  assumed  in  time  of 
war.  But  let  some  outward  sign  —  a  statue,  a  picture,  a 
w?e6?aZ  —  indicate  the  profound  veneration  in  which  the 
virtues  of  a  good  citizen  are  held,  who,  in  his  own  con- 
duct, exemplified  this  truth  at  an  earlier  period  of  the 
world's  history;  and  the  precept  thus  strikingly  set  off 
by  the  historical  precedent,  will  arrest  the  attention  of 
every  observer.  — 

Such  were  the  sentiments  that  animated  the  hearts  of 
some  of  the  most  gallant  officers  of  the  American  army, 
on  the  10th  of  May,  1783;  when  they  met  together  on 
the  borders  of  the  Hudson,  and,  converting  the  name  of 
the  Roman  dictator  into  a  Latin  plural,  called  themselves 
"  The  Society  of  the  Cincinnati." 

Noble  and  patriotic  as  the  motives  were  that  led  to  this 
combination  in  the  first  instance,  other  and  equally  generous 
feelings  conspired  to  give  additional  respect  to  the  under- 
taking. 

Comrades  in  arms  who  had  fought  side  by  side  in  the 


T  in:  CINCINNATI. 


23 


bloody  fields  of  the  Revolution,  were  about  to  be  separated — 
the  closest  iDtimacies  were  to  be  severed  —  and  they  longed 
for  some  link  that  would  still  unite  them  together  at 
periodical  intervals,  when  they  could  revive  around  the 
social  board  the  scenes  of  their  past  privations  and  repeated 
triumphs.  They  set  aside  for  their  annual  festivity  the 
day  on  which  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  signed — 
since  become  the  national  anniversary. 
.  Besides  this,  the  society  was  to  be  eleemosynary  —  each 
officer  contributing  one  month's  pay  toward  the  creation 
of  a  fund  for  the  support  of  indigent  widows  and  orphans 
of  deceased  members. 

Another  and  most  important  object  was  to  confer  appro- 
priate honours  upon  their  noble  allies,  the  officers  of  the 
French  army  and  navy,  who  had  so  materially  assisted 
them  in  the  late  struggle. 

■  The  plan  had  been  previously  communicated  to  the 
several  regiments,  who  appointed  an  officer  from  each ;  and 
these,  in  conjunction  with  the  general  officers,  formed  the 
preliminary  meeting. 

Baron  de  Steuben,  Major-General,  and  the  senior  officer 
present,  was  called  to  the  chair.  The  proposals  were  then 
read  and  adopted  —  and  Major-General  Knox,  Brigadier- 
Generals  Hand  and  Huntington,  and  Captain  Shaw,  were 
chosen  a  committee  to  revise  the  same,  and  to  report  at 
the  next  meeting. 

Agreeably  to  adjournment,  the  representatives  of  the 
army  met  together  three  days  after,  at  the  quarters  of 
Baron  de  Steuben,  and  then  and  there  the  institution  of 
the  order  was  duly  accepted 


24 


THE   SOCIETY  OF 


The  three  fandamental  articles  upon  which  it  is  based/ 
are  these : 

An  incessant  attention  to  preserve  inviolate  those 
exalted  rights  and  liberties  of  human  nature,  for  which 
they  had  fought  and  bled,  and,  without  which,  the  high 
rank  of  a  rational  being  is  a  curse  instead  of  a 
blessing. 

An  unalterable  determination  to  promote  and  cherish 
between  the  respective  States,  that  union  and  national 
honour,  so  essentially  necessary  to  their  happiness  and  the 
future  dignity  of  the  American  Empire. 

To  render  permanent  the  cordial  affection  subsisting 
among  the  officers. 

All  the  officers  of  the  American  army,  as  well  as  those 
who  had  resigned  with  honour,  after  three  years'  service  in 
the  capacity  of  officers,  or  who  had  been  deranged  by  the 
resolutions  of  Congress,  upon  the  several  reforms  of  the 
army,  as  well  as  those  who  should  have  continued  to  the 
end  of  the  war,  had  the  right  to  become  parties  to  the 
institution,  provided  they  subscribed  one  month's  pay,  and 
signed  their  names  to  the  general  rules. 

The  General  Society,  for  the  sake  of  frequent  communi- 
cations, was  divided  into  State  Societies. 

The  President  General  was  directed  to  transmit  as  soon 
as  might  be,  to  each  of  the  personages  hereafter  named,  a 
medal  containing  the  Order  of  the  Society,  viz : 

His  Excellency,  the  Cheyalier  de  la  Luzerne,  Minister 
Plenipotentiary. 

His  Excellency,  the  Sieur  Gerard,  late  Minister  Pleni- 
potentiary. 


THE    CI  X  CI  XX  ATI, 


25 


Their  Excellencies^ 

The  Count  d'Estaing, 
The  CouxT  DE  Grasse, 
The  CouxT  DE  Bareas^ 
The  Chevalier  de  Touches, 

Admirals  and  Commanders  in  the  Navy. 
;  His  Excellency,  the  Couxt  de  Rochambeau,  Commander- 
in-Chief  of  the  French  forces. 

And  the  Generals  and  Colonels  of  his  army,  ar.d  acquaint 
them,  that  the  Society  did  themselves  the  honour  to  con- 
sider them  as  members. 

Generals  Heath,  Steuben,  and  Knox,  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  wait  on  his  Excellency,  the  Commander-in- 
Chief,  with  a  copy  of  the  institution,  and  request  him  to 
honour  the  society  by  placing  his  name  at  the  head  of  it. 

Major  L'Enfant  of  the  French  engineers,  who,  like  the 
unfortunate  Andre,  of  the  same  rank  in  the  British  armj', 
was  an  accomplished  draughtsman,  took  charge  of  the 
decorations ;  under  his  supervision  they  were  executed  in 
Paris,  and  to  his  taste  the  Societv  is  indebted  for  that 
graceful  design. 

It  consists  of  a  bald  eagle  of  enamelled  gold,  bearing 
upon  its  breast  a  medallion  charged  as  follows :  on  the 
obverse,  the  principal  figure  is  Cincinnatus ;  three  senators 
present  him  with  a  sword  and  other  military  ensigns  ;  he 
is  reclining  upon  his  plough,  and  at  his  side  are  minor 
implements  of  husbandry.  On  the  reverse,  the  sun  rises 
over  a  city  with  open  gates,  vessels  are  seen  entering  the 
port,  and  in  the  midst.  Fame  crowns  Cincinnatus  with  a 
wreath,  inscribed,  "  Yirtutis i^remiumr  Below,  hands  joined 


26 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


support  a  heart,  with  the  motto,  Esto  perpetual  The 
whole  is  pendent  to  a  blue  ribbon  edged  with  white, 
descriptive  of  the  union  between  France  and  America. 
Around  the  principal  charge  is  the  legend,  Omnia  relin- 
quit  servare  rempuhlicam!'  —  a  piece  of  latinity  of  question- 
able elegance. 

But  it  was  the  motto,  Esto  perpetua,''  unexceptionable 
Latin,  but  dangerous  doctrine,  that  raised  an  outcry  against 
this  new  feature  in  the  State,  which,  at  our  day,  seems 
perfectly  incredible.  : 

To  perpetuate  the  memory  of  an  eventful  period  —  to 
raise  the  glow  of  generous  emulation  in  the  breast  of 
posterity  —  to  supply  the  broken  links  in  an  endless  chain 
of  good  fellowship  —  it  was  decreed  that  the  eagle  should 
descend  from  father  to  son,  according  to  the  law  of  primo- 
geniture, or,  in  failure  of  issue,  to  his  collateral  heirs  in 
the  due  line  of  inheritance  for  ever. 

Then  it  was  that  "Cassius"  and  "Civis,"  "  Yox  Populi" 
and  "  Publicola,"  once  more  flew  to  their  pens.  The  half- 
pay  had  been  obnoxious  enough,  but  now  the  pack  opened 
in  full  cry. 

At  that  time,  pamphlets  were  the  favourite  vehicles  for 
conveying  political  squibs,  and  giving  vent  to  all  that 
ephemeral  passion  which  now  finds  an  outlet  in  popular 
harangues  and  the  daily  journals.  Pamphleteering,  indeed, 
had  reached  the  dignity  of  a  separate  profession.  The 
booksellers  were  flooded  with  transitory  productions,  that 
soon  found  their  way  to  the  trunk-makers,  some  of  which, 
by  their  whimsical  titles,  still  attract  the  attention  of  the 
curious  in  literature. 


THE    C  I  X  C  I  X  X  A  T  I . 


^danus  Burke,  an  eccentrlo  Irishman,  who  held  a  seat 
on  the  supreme  bench  of  South  Carolina,  had  read  the 
famous  letters  of  Junius,  and  emulous  of  a  similar  dis- 
tinction, headed  the  conspiracy;  he  called  himself  "Cassius," 
and  wrote  a  violmt  tirade  against  the  Society. 

He  proved  conclusively  to  many  apprehensions,  by  a 

specious  train  of  argument,  that  the  whole  object  of  the 

institution  was  to  undermine  the  Eepublic,  to  usurp  the 

supreme  power  of  the  State,  and  to  fix  upon  the  succeeding 

generation  an  hereditary  race  of  patricians,  as  powerful  as 

any  that  prevail  in  the  monarchies  of  Europe.  The 

descendants  of  this  military  order  of  knighthood  and  their 

connections  would  form  the  nobihty  on  one  side,  and  the 

mass  of  the  people  on  the  other  would  be  an  insignificant 

rabble.    He  called  upon  posterity  to  mark  his  words.  For, 

as  he  argued,  the  evil,  countenanced  as  it  was  by  so  man}^ 

powerful  names,  was  past  a  remedy.    The  vile  contrivance, 

fraught  Avith  destruction,  had  already  been  dragged  to  the 

citadel  —  and,  like  Cassandra  or  the  high  priest  of  Apollo, 

he  only  shrieked  in  despair  his  prophetic  warning, 

.  ■  summa  decurrit  ab  arce 

Et  procul,  0  Miseri  !  qujB  taiita  insania  cives  ? 

The  pamphlet  was  ably  written,  and  caused  no  little 
sensation.  The  legislatures  of  some  of  the  States  appointed 
committees  to  inquire  into  the  grievance.  In  every  instance 
the  report  was  unfavourable.  Rhode  Island  disfranchised 
such  of  its  citizens  as  were  members  of  the  Society;  and 
Massachusetts  declared  it  to  be  dangerous  to  the  peace, 
liberty,  and  safety  of  the  Union." 

The  consternation  crossed  the  Atlantic.    The  celebrated 

QTl^. 


STATE  UMk^ 


28 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


Mirabeau,  prince  of  pamphleteers,  then  an  exile  in  London, 
amidst  dissertations  on  the  opening  of  the  Scheldt,  on 
Stock  Jobbing,  Cagliostro  and  the  diamond  necklace,  the 
Bank  of  St.  Charles,  and  such  like  farrago,  edited  a  French 
version  of  Burke's  pamphlet,  with  copious  annotations,  in 
'which  he  was  assisted  by  his  friend  and  faithful  adherent, 
Nicholas  Chamfort. 

The  future  leader  of  the  National  Assembly,  in  memory 
of  his  extraction,  recalls  a  scrap  of  Florentine  history  as 
a  case  in  point.  "  It  will  not  be  contended,"  he  says,  "  that 
the  caprice  or  superstition  of  the  rich  and  powerful  men 
who  gave  birth  to  the  orders  of  the  Garter,  the  Golden 
Fleece,  St.  Andrew,  and  St.  Patrick,  was  a  cause  so  big 
with  important  consequences,  as  the  favourable  opportunity 
which  the  authors  of  the  American  Revolution  have  seized 
on,  and  the  obvious  designs  that  they  manifest.  No  order 
of  knighthood  can  bear  comparison  with  theirs,  but  one, 
and  that  with  disadvantage,  the  military  order  of  St. 
Stephen,  of  Tuscany,  instituted  by  the  first  great  Duke 
Cosmo  de  Medicis,  in  commemoration  of  the  battle  of 
Marciano,  in  which  the  Republican  party  was  utterly 
defeated.  This,  as  is  well  known,  was  the  last  blow  given 
to  the  Commonwealth  of  Florence,  and  the  monument  of 
its  destruction." 

But  Mirabeau  upon  Burke  was  not  half  so  learned  a 
commentator  as  Time  upon  both  of  them.  And  we,  of 
the  present  generation,  who  have  read  the  works  of  this 
]ast  great  author,  and  edax  verum,  know  more  about  the 
matter  than  all  the  wise-acres  that  have  ever  put  pen  to 
paper. 


THE  CINCINNATI. 


29 


MeanwhilGj  as  may  be  imagined,  the  friends  of  the 
Society  were  not  idle.  Burke's  pamphlet  met  with  a 
prompt  reply.  But  the  zeal  of  some  of  its  advocates  carried 
them  beyond  the  bounds  of  discretion. 

In  a  sermon  preached  before  the  Cincinnati  at  Phila- 
delphia, they  were  addressed  by  the  worshipful  title  of 

the  most  worthy and  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  New 
York  Society,  a  demonstration  was  made  that  was  prompted 
by  all  the  spirit  of  opposition. 

On  this  occasion  they  determined  to  initiate  the  honorary 
members  who  had  been  newly  elected,  by  the  ceremony  of 
a  formal  investiture.  The  assembly  room  at  the  City 
Tavern  was  the  scene  of  the  solemnity.  The  outside  of 
the  house  was  decorated  with  festoons  and  crowns  of  laurel 
—  opposite  the  door  of  entrance,  on  a  dais  tapestried  with 
blue  cloth,  was  elevated  a  great  chair  of  state  covered  with 
light  blue  satin,  fringed  with  white;  at  the  back  of  this, 
was  a  staff  supported  by  two  hands  united  holding  up  the 
cap  of  liberty,  which  was  again  grasped  b}'  the  eagle  of  the 
Order,  bearing  on  a  white  fillet  the  motto,  "  ^Ye  will  defend 
it."  At  each  extremity  of  the  room  amphitheatres  were 
erected  for  the  spectators. 

A  deputation  consisting  of  four  members  dressed  in  their 
uniforms,  and  wearing  their  eagles,  first  waited  on  the 
Governor  of  the  State  and  the  President  of  Congress  with 
the  congratulations  of  the  Society  on  the  anniversary  of 
American  Independence.  After  their  return  with  the 
report,  that  they  had  been  received  with  all  the  attention 
due  to  the  dignity  of  their  Order,  the  ceremony  commenced. 

The  foreign  members,  and  such  as  belonged  to  the  other 


30 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


societies,  had  already  taken  their  seats  on  the  left  of  the 
chair.  The  kettle-drums  and  trumpets,  an  important  part 
of  the  performance,  were  stationed  in  the  gallery  over  the 
door,  and  the  amjohi theatres  were  filled  with  spectators, 
when  the  standard-bearer,  Captain  Guyon,  in  full  continental 
uniform,  wearing  his  order,  and  escorted  by  four  members, 
also  in  full  dress,  entered  the  hall,  and  took  his  position  in 
front  of  the  dais.  He  held  in  his  hand  the  standard  of 
the  Society.  It  was  wrought  in  silk,  displaying  the  eagle, 
upon  thirteen  alternate  stripes  of  white  and  blue.  The 
escort  returned ;  and,  led  by  the  Masters  of  Ceremony,  the 
procession  then  entered  the  hall.  First  came  the  members, 
two  and  two,  followed  by  the  secretary,  Captain  Pemberton, 
carrying  the  original  institution  of  the  Society.  Then 
came  the  treasurer.  General  Yan  Cortlandt,  and  his  deputy, 
Major  Piatt,  bearing  two  satin  cushions,  on  the  first  of 
which  were  displayed  the  eagles,  and  on  the  second  the 
diplomas  for  the  elected  members.  These  were  followed 
by  the  Vice-President,  General  Schuyler,  and  the  President, 
Major-General  Baron  de  Steuben,  who  brought  up  the  rear. 
At  his  entrance,  the  standard  saluted,  and  the  kettle-drums 
and  trumpets  gave  a  flourish,  which  continued  until  passing 
through  the  avenue  now  formed  by  the  members  opening 
to  the  right  and  left,  he  mounted  the  steps  and  took  his 
seat  upon  the  Chair  of  State. 

When  this  was  done.  Colonel  Hamilton,  soldier,  orator, 
and  statesman,  pronounced  the  inaugural  address.  After 
which  the  ceremony  of  investiture  commenced. 

The  recipient  was  conducted  by  one  of  the  Masters  of 
Ceremony  to  the  first  step  before  the  chair  of  the  President, 


THE    CIX  CIXX  ATI. 


31 


and  tlie  standard-bearer  approached.  After  expressing  a 
desire  to  be  received  into  the  Society,  and  promising  a 
strict  observance  of  its  rules  and  statutes,  he  grasped  the 
standard  with  his  left  hand,  while  with  his  right  he  signed 
his  name  to  the  Institution.  The  President  then  took  one 
of  the  eagles  from  the  cushion  held  by  the  treasurer,  and 
invested  the  recipient  in  the  following  words  :  Receive 
this  mark  as  a  recompense  for  your  merit,  and  in  remem- 
brance of  our  glorious  independence."  Xext,  handing  him 
a  diploma,  he  said,  This  will  show  your  title  as  a  member 
of  our  Society.  Imitate  the  illustrious  hero,  Lucius 
Quintius  Cincinnatus,  whom  we  have  chosen  for  our  patron  : 
like  him,  be  the  defender  of  your  country,  and  a  good 
citizen."'  Another  flourish  of  drums  and  trumpets  completed 
the  ceremony,  and  the  new  member  was  introduced  to  the 
Cincinnati  at  large,  who  rose  in  a  body  to  salute  him. 
This  was  succeeded  by  a  brilliant  festival,  which,  amidst 
salvos  of  artillery,  terminated  the  day. 

But  it  was  in  the  gay  capital  of  France  —  the  land  of 
forms  and  ceremonies,  of  rank  and  title,  of  martial  enthu- 
siasm, and  decaying  grandeur  that  the  Society  acquired  a 
distinction  it  never  possessed  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 

The  young  Marquis  de  Lafayette  —  the  Scipio  Ameri- 
canus,  fresh  from  the  scene  of  his  glory,  presented  himself 
at  the  foot  of  the  throne,  and  sought  permission  from  his 
Sovereign  to  wear,  along  ^^■ith  his  cross  of  the  most  ancient 
and  honourable  Order  of  St.  Louis,  the  illustrious  eagle  of 
Cincinnatus.  The  only  foreign  Order  suffered  to  be  worn 
in  the  service  of  His  Most  Christian  Majesty  was  that  of 
the  Golden  Fleece;  but,  by  a  signal  act  of  condescension, 


32 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


the  especial  privilege  was  accorded  to  the  French  Cincinnati 
of  appearing  at  court  with  the  new  decoration. 

Lafayette^  who  lived  with  Washington  upon  terms  of 
domesticity  that  savoured  more  of  the  relation  between 
father  and  son  than  of  ordinary  friends,  received  from  him 
as  President-General  the  first  account  of  the  formation  of 
the  Society,  The  young  enthusiast,  then  only  twenty-six 
years  of  age,  acknowledged  the  honour  in  language  which 
does  credit  to  the  warmth  of  his  feelings. 

"  When  he  thought  that  his  letter  would  be  read  among 
representatives  from  all  the  lines  of  the  army,"  he  declared, 
that  his  heart  glowed  with  the  most  unbounded  sentiments 
of  affection  and  gratitude.  How  pleasing  it  was  for  him 
to  recollect  their  common  toils,  dangers,  turns  of  fortune, 
and  that  lively  attachment  which  united  them  to  each 
other  under  their  beloved  General.  Never  could  his  heart 
forget  the  return  of  affection  he  had  particularly  obtained, 
the  number  of  obligations  he  was  under  to  his  dear  brother 
officers,  and  the  happy  hours,  the  happiest  in  his  life,  which 
he  had  passed  in  their  company." 

Versailles  at  that  time  exhibited  all  the  vivid,  but 
flickering  brilliancy  that  precedes  extinction.  It  was  the 
interval  when,  indeed,  the  age  of  chivalry  was  gone,  but 
before  that,  of  sophisters,  calculators,  and  economists,  had 
entirely  succeeded,  and  while  the  glory  of  Europe"  still 
played  in  a  parting  halo  about  the  throne  of  the  Bourbon. 

The  officers  who  had  returned  from  the  New  World, 
flushed  with  the  recent  triumph  of  the  French  arms,  were 
flattered  with  the  smiles  of  a  gay  and  enthusiastic  court. 
To  bear  about  with  them  the  distinguishing  mark  of  their 


THE    C  I  X  C  I  X  X  A  T  I . 


gallantry,  whether  it  was  at  the  ceremonials  of  the  palace, 
in  the  smaller  coteries  of  the  Trianon,  or  in  the  salons  of 
the  capital,  was  the  ambition  of  every  one  who  had  served 
in  the  war.  The  sum  of  60,000  livres  w^as  voluntarily 
subscribed  by  the  officers  of  the  army,  a  similar  amount 
was  to  be  made  up  by  the  fleet,  and  ail  to  be  transmitted 
to  the  General  Society  in  America.  But  these  liberal 
offers,  by  a  nice  sense  of  delicacy,  were  respectfully  de- 
clined. Petitions  and  memorials  poured  in  upon  the 
General  Society,  on  the  part  of  claimants  who  had  been 
overlooked  in  the  distribution  of  the  much-coveted  honour. 
These  were  accompanied  by  all  the  necessary  vouchers, 
affidavits  before  notaries  public,  recommendations  by  their 
superior  officers,  and  the  chief  ministers  of  the  crown,  and, 
in  one  instance,  a  certificate  in  the  sign-manual  of  the  king 
himself 

One  had  been  a  prisoner  in  England ;  another  had  been 
recalled  at  an  early  stage  of  the  war;  one  had  been  pro- 
moted for  his  gallantry  at  the  siege  of  Savannah ;  another 
had  served  under  Paul  Jones  in  his  glorious  engagement 
with  the  Serapis.  The  Chevalier  de  Lameth  pointed  to 
his  wounds  received  at  Yorktown,  and  the  eldest  son  of 
De  Kalb  claimed  in  right  of  his  father. 

Diplomas  had  been  issued  only  to  the  generals  and 
colonels  of  regiments  and  legions  of  the  land  forces,  and 
to  the  admirals  of  the  navy.  But  the  captains  of  the 
navy  declared  that  they  ranked  as  colonels  in  the  army, 
and  asked  in  their  turn  for  the  mark  of  merit.  On  the 
representations  of  Rochambeau,  D'Estaing,  and  Lafayette, 
their  diplomas  were  despatched  by  an  early  packet.  To 
3 


34 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


exhibit  their  gratitude,  they  caused  to  be  made  a  brilliant 
decoration,  after  the  model  of  the  one  already  adopted, 
but  richly  set  with  diamonds,  and  surrounded  by  an 
emerald  wreath  of  laurel.  This  was  presented  to  the 
first  President-General,  in  the  name  of  the  French  naval 
marine ;  and,  since  the  days  of  Washington,  it  has  been 
regularly  transmitted  to  each  of  his  successors  in  office, 
and  is  now  worn  by  the  Hon.  Hamilton  Fish,  of  New^ 
York. 

In  fact,  our  allies  looked  upon  the  Society  as  created 
entirely  for  their  own  distinction,  and  such  is  the  account 
that  Rochambeau  himself  gives  in  his  Memoirs.  So  to 
this  day  with  Van  Blaremberg's  picture  of  the  surrender 
of  York  town,  in  the  gallery  of  Versailles.  The  French 
general  and  his  staff",  with  Lord  Cornwallis,  fill  up  the 
foreground  of  the  picture,  whilst  the  American  army  is 
lost  in  the  vanishing  lines  of  the  perspective. 

The  badge  of  the  Society,  worn  on  public  occasions, 
both  in  court  pageantries  and  at  the  military  reviews,  soon 
became  familiar  to  the  eyes  of  the  people ;  and,  a  few 
years  afterwards,  it  was  called  to  mind  with  an  ominous 
significance. 

It  was  on  the  day  of  the  first  popular  outbreak,  the 
memorable  12th  of  July,  1789,  that  Camille  Desmoulins, 
breathless  from  Versailles  with  the  news  of  Neckar's  dis- 
missal, mounted  a  table  in  the  garden  of  the  Palais  Royal, 
and  proposed  that  first  of  all  considerations  in  French 
revolutions  —  a  cockade.  "What  shall  it  be?"  he  ex- 
claimed to  the  excited  multitude  around.  "  Shall  it  be 
green,  the  colour  of  hope  ?  or  shall  it  be  blue,  the  colour 


THE    C  I  X  C I X  X  A  T  I . 


35 


of  the  Cincinnati  and  of  American  independence  ?"  Voices 
in  the  crowd  called  out.  Let  it  be  green,  the  colour  of 
hope  I''  and  thus  the  ribbon  of  the  Order  vras  saved  the 
disgrace  of  being  affixed  to  the  red  cap  of  the  sans 
cidottes. 

But  green,  the  colour  of  hope,  was  found  to  be  also  the 

colour  of  the  Count  d'Artois'  liveries ;  so  it  was  forced  to 

eive  wav  to  red  and  blue,  the  colours  of  the  arms  of  Paris. 
1—1/  ' 

But  these  again  were  the  colours  of  Orleans,  not  yet 
Egcdite ;  and  soon  afterwards  Lafayette  himself  then  in 
command  of  the  National  Guards,  at  the  Hotel -de- VlUe, 
introduced  a  conservative  strip  of  the  old  national  white; 
and  thus  the  renowned  tricolor  became  the  flag  of  France. 

But  we  must  leave  the  tricolor,  and  return  to  the  stars 
and  stripes. 

'When  the  first  effervescence  was  over,  the  opposition  in 
America  rapidly  declined.  The  active  energies  of  the 
country  began  to  develop  themselves ;  the  popular  senti- 
ment took  a  new  turn :  and  the  Cincinnati  were  suffered 
to  spend  the  Fourth  of  July  after  their  own  fashion. 
And.  surely,  nothing  could  be  more  attractive  than  these 
annual  gatherings;  nor  could  anything  be  so  well  calcu- 
lated to  foster  the  spirit  of  'T6.  With  a  proper  regard  to 
the  principles  of  their  Order  (for  the  Xew  York  demon- 
stration was  an  exception  to  the  rule),  they  laid  aside,  on 
these  festive  occasions,  the  military  blue  coat,  with  its 
broad  buff  facings,  but  still  retained  the  cocked-hat.  knee- 
breeches,  and  small-sword.  The  crowning  grace  of  the 
costume  was  the  hair,  carefully  powdered,  and  brought 
down  behind  to  a  pig-tail,  always  an  object  of  tender 


36 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


solicitude.  Here  the  veterans  of  the  war  met  as  boon 
companions,  and  fought  their  battles  over  again.  The 
vacant  sleeve  of  one,  pinned  up  to  his  shoulder,  told  of 
the  arm  he  had  lost  at  Trenton  or  the  Brandywine. 
Another  had  replaced  with  a  wooden  substitute  the  leg  he 
had  left  on  the  bloody  field  of  Monmouth.  Scarce  a  soul 
of  them  but  had  some  scar  to  remind  him  of  the  recent 
struggle.  The  talk  was  about  Sumpter's  brigade  and 
Tarleton's  legion;  or  of  ^^Mad  Anthony"  at  the  head  of 
Febiger's  regiment,  when  they  carried  the  garrison  of 
Stony  Point;  or,  perhaps,  it  was  about  the  new  constitu- 
tion, or  the  prospect  of  a  war  with  their  ancient  allies. 
The  conviviality  was  loud  and  long,  for  they  drank  deep 
in  those  days.  At  a  late  period  of  the  evening,  a  tankard 
of  some  generous  liquor  would  be  passed  from  mouth  to 
mouth ;  and,  as  it  made  the  orbit  of  the  table,  would 
describe  upon  its  own  axis  a  very  large  segment  of  a 
circle.  It  was  the  nation's  birth-day !  Sore  had  been  the 
travail  that  brought  forth  the  child  of  promise ;  and  now, 
as  the  auspicious  event  cheered  their  hearts  with  hopes 
that  fell  far  short  of  the  destined  reality,  they  made 
merry,  and  drank  wassail  to  the  young  heir  whose  broad 
acres  should  stretch  from  the  frozen  regions  of  the  North 
to  the  Tropic ;  from  their  eastern  boundary  to  shores 
where  the  Orient  becomes  Occidental. 

The  badge  was  frequently  worn  on  public  occasions. 
In  many  of  the  portraits  of  Stuart,  where  the  sitter  was 
;  a  member  of  the  Society,  it  is  yet  to  be  seen,  obtrusively 
\  pendent  from  the  button-hole.    The  honourable  principle 
was  scrupulously  observed :  the  only  instance  of  degrada- 


THE    C  I  X  C I X  X  A  T I . 


37 


tion  I  have  been  able  to  discover,  was  tliat  of  a  member 
from  Eliode  Island,  who  was  divested  of  his  ribbon  fjr 
making  a  legal  tender  of  the  depreciated  paper  currency  in 
payment  of  a  debt. 

Thus  years  rolled  on.  But  the  hilarity  of  each  succeed- 
ing' meeting  was  a  little  dashed  by  sad  and  sadder  reflec- 
tions, as  the  toasts  to  the  departed  increased  in  number. 
In  some  instances  their  places  were  supplied  by  their  de- 
scendants, but  in  many  more  no  one  was  left  to  claim  the 
vacant  honour. 

Nothing  worthy  of  special  note  appears  on  the  records, 
until  an  event  transpired  which  sent  a  thrill  of  delight 
through  the  wliole  nation,  and  called  for  the  particular 
notice  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati.  In  the  summer 
of  1824.  General  Lafayette  revisited  the  shores  of  America. 
And  who  could  more  appropriately  greet  him  than  such  as 
survived  of  his  brothers  in  arms  ?  The  Cincinnati  of  Xew 
York  selected  his  birth-dav  for  conQi\atulatin£r  him  at  an 
entertainment  that  surpassed  all  their  previous  festivals, 
both  in  interest  and  magnificence.  Who  shall  describe 
the  emotions  of  their  illustrious  guest  as  he  was  ushered 
into  the  ai^eat  saloon  of  the  "Washinsrton  Hall,  on  this 
memorable  occasion  I  Since  the  Avar  of  independence  he 
had  been  whirled  in  all  the  vortex  of  a  terrible  revolution 
—  at  one  time  the  idol,  and  at  another  the  execration  of 
the  mob.  By  a  natural  train  of  association,  what  con- 
trasts must  have  crowded  his  mind  I  His  suppers  at 
Madame  Du  Barri"s  when  a  young  mousqiietaire  at  the 
profligate  court  of  Louis  XV..  and  his  slender  rations  at 
Valley  Forge.    The  grand  fete  of  the  CJiamp-de-^Iars. 


38 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


when  he  led  the  militia  of  France,  and  his  crust  in  the 
dungeons  of  Olmutz.  He  sat  beneath  a  canopy  of  oak 
and  laurel ;  and  when  the  triumphal  wreath  fell  from  the 
beak  of  the  eagle  suspended  above  his  chair,  his  breast 
must  have  throbbed  with  the  recollection  of  his  past 
glories :  when  he  was  carried  wounded  from  the  field  at 
the  Brandywine ;  the  battle  of  Monmouth ;  when,  at  the 
head  of  the  American  infantry,  he  stormed  the  redoubts 
at  Yorktown ;  when,  in  the  land  of  his  birth,  he  stood 
between  royalty  and  the  rage  of  furious  men  and  still 
more  savage  women,  and,  kissing  the  hand  of  the  queen 
upon  the  balcony  at  Versailles,  saved,  for  a  brief  space, 
the  life  of  that  unhappy  princess. 

On  the  removal  of  the  cloth,  and  when  the  memory  of 
the  departed  had  been  drunk  in  solemn  silence,  what 
shades  must  have  passed  before  his  mind's  eye !  Peerless 
and  first,  his  early  friend  and  almost  father,  "the  Cinciri- 
natus  of  the  West,"  who  died  in  the  fulness  of  honours, 
and  in  the  quiet  retirement  of  his  farm.  His  younger 
friend  Hamilton,  w^ho  shared  with  him  the  fortunes  of 
war,  but  who  had  since  met  with  an  untimely  death. 
The  tall  figure  of  the  Count  d'Estaing  —  a  victim  of  the 
guillotine.  Henry,  who  distinguished  himself  at  Fort 
Mifflin,  and  died  a  Field-Marshal  of  France.  His  kins- 
man, the  impetuous  De  Noailles,  who  w^as  killed  in  a 
naval  engagement  with  the  English.  Du  Plessis,  who 
was  massacred  at  St.  Domingo.  The  adventurous  La 
Perouse,  whose  fate  was  still  a  mystery.  Custine,  a 
prose rit  of  the  Reign  of  Terror.  De  la  Roche,  w^ho  fell 
at  Austerlitz.    AW  members  of  the  fraternitv ;  and  he 


THE  CINCINNATI 


39 


alone  left  to  receive  the  outpourings  of  a  nation's  grati- 
tude !  His  ears  still  rang  with  the  vivas  of  the  excited 
crowd  w^ho  were  besieging  the  Hall  to  catch  but  a  glimpse 
of  their  heroic  benefactor;  his  breast  heaved  with  the 
!  proudest  emotions  —  not  the  less  that  he  bore  upon  it  a 
1  badge  that  linked  him  with  patriots  living  and  dead ;  the 
precious  meed  of  his  devoted  generosity.  "So  should 
desert  in  arms  be  crowned." 

If  this  paper  should  be  the  means  of  correcting  two 
errors  that  have  crept  into  both  history  and  biography,  it 
will  have  served  its  purpose.  One  is,  that  Washington,  at 
any  time,  looked  with  disfavour  upon  the  Cincinnati.  The 
other  is,  that  the  hereditary  succession  was  ever  abolished. 

There  was  much  in  the  character  of  Washington  that, 
in  our  age,  would  be  looked  upon  as  eminently  aristocratical. 
His  dignified  reserve  —  the  graceful  courtesy  of  his  manners 
—  the  neatness  of  his  toilet  —  his  excessive  punctilio. 
Im^^ortant  communications  were  returned  unopened  where 
his  name  appeared  on  the  address  shorn  of  its  titles.  He 
sealed  his  letters  with  the  crest  and  bearings  of  the  Wash- 
ingtons  of  Northamptonshire,  from  whom  he  traced  his 
descent.  At  times,  he  would  unbend  from  his  official 
dignity  to  any  of  the  elegant  amenities  of  social  life.  When 
the  allied  armies  celebrated  the  birth  of  the  Dauphin  at 
West  Point,  he  led  down  twenty  couples  on  the  green  in  a  . 
country  dance. 

We  must  almost  look  to  fiction,  and  there  combine  to 
form  the  true  ideal  of  the  high-minded  Virginia  gentleman 
of  that  day,  of  which  he  was  the  type.    The  courtly  polish 


40 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


and  noble  carriage  of  Grandison  grafted  upon  the  stout  and 
stalwart  principles,  the  simplicity  of  heart  and  plain  exterior 
of  Sir  Roger  de  Coverly,  will  suggest,  in  some  striking 
features,  a  parallel.  It  is  a  school  that  is  passed  away. 
It  was  that  period  of  our  history,  when  an  honourable 
diplomacy  abroad,  and  plain-dealing  at  home,  gave  more 
lustre  to  the  new  Republic  than  even  the  triumph  of  her 
arms.  It  was  the  age  of  Washington  and  Adams,  of 
Hamilton,  of  Jay,  of  Laurens,  of  Carroll,  and  Pinckney. 
Ah  !  let  such  of  our  deluded  countrymen  as  reckon  too 
cheaply  their  precious  birthright,  still  patiently  listen,  if 
they  will,  to  abuse  in  broken  English,  heaped  upon  the 
traditional  policy  of  the  government  as  enjoined  by  the 
"  Father  of  his  Country,"  from  the  lips  of  each  scheming 
adventurer,  as  he  feigns  some  mythical  figment  of  his  own, 
and  calls  it  — ■  Washington  ! 

•,  There  was  nothing  in  the  tastes  or  habits  of  General 
Washington,  that  could  make  him  look  with  displeasure 
upon  an  institution  founded  upon  the  three  virtuous  prin- 
ciples of  patriotism,  honour,  and  charity.  And  when  he 
placed  his  name  at  the  head  of  it,  he  expressed  himself  in 
terms  of  unqualified  approbation. 

The  first  general  meeting,  after  the  disbandment  of  the 
army,  was  held  at  the  State  House,  Philadelphia,  on  the 
4th  of  May,  1784.  I  give  an  extract  from  the  minutes  : 
V  "  General  Washington  having  moved  that  a  resolution  \ 
of  the  Society,  dated  at  the  cantonment  of  the  American 
army,  June  19th,  1783,  requesting  the  Commander-in-Chief 
to  officiate  as  President-General  until  the  next  general 
meeting  of  the  Society,  might  be  read,  and  the  same  being 


I 


THE    CINCINNATI.  41 

read  accordingly,  he  laid  the  original  institution  of  the 
Society  on  the  table  with  the  official  letters  which  he  had 
written  and  received  in  consequence  thereof,  and  retired. 
General  Knox,  acting  as  Secretary-General  by  the  same 
appointment,  also  requested  leave  to  retire.  Whereupon, 
the  meeting  went  into  a  committee  of  the  whole,  and 
General  Small  wood  took  the  chair;  and  on  motion  it  was 
resolved,  that  the  election  of  officers  of  the  General  Society 
be  for  the  present  postponed.  It  w^as  then  unanimously 
resolved,  that  General  Washington  be  requested  to  preside 
at  this  meeting  until  the  whole  business  of  the  meeting  be 
duly  completed.  Messrs.  Williams,  Dayton,  Eamsey,  and 
Turner,  were  appointed  to  wait  on  General  Washington, 
and  to  inform  him  of  the  request  of  this  meeting.  General 
Washington  accepted,  and  took  the  chair." 

"Saturday,  May  15th,  1784.  Pursuant  to  the  order  of 
the  day,  proceeded  to  ballot  for  officers  of  the  General 
Society  to  serve  the  ensuing  term,  when  :  —  General  Wash- 
ington was  unanimously  chosen  President,  Major-General 
Gates,  Vice-President,  and  Major-General  Knox,  Secretary. 

In  a  letter  to  General  Knox,  written  the  following 
October,  and  dated  at  Rocky  Hill,  Washington  says :  — 

"  I  am  told  subscriptions  have  been  paid  in  by  those 
who  wish  to  have  orders.  I  propose  taking  seven,  for 
which  the  money  is  ready  at  any  time.  And  it  may  not 
be  amiss  in  this  place  to  inform  you,  that  it  has  always 
been  my  intention  to  present  the  Society  with  five  hundred 
dollars." 

On  the  second  Monday  of  May,  1787,  was  called  together 
at  Philadelphia  that  convention  to  which  we  owe  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States  —  a  triumph  of  wisdom, 


42 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


and  the  boast  of  every  true  American.  It  was  called  with 
direct  reference  in  respect  of  time,  to  the  previously 
appointed  meeting  of  the  Cincinnati,  to  be  held  on  the  first 
Monday  of  the  same  month,  being  the  second  general 
meeting  of  the  Society.  This  was  done  to  give  Washington 
an  opportunity  of  presiding  over  both  sittings. 

But  he  had  already  written  a  circular  letter  to  the 
several  State  Societies,  declining  a  re-election  to  the  Presi- 
dency, giving  solely  as  a  reason,  a  wish  to  withdraw  from 
all  active  life^  and  to  devote  himself  exclusively  to  the 
affairs  of  his  farm.  He  wrote  to  Mr.  Madison,  saying,  "  I 
declined  the  Presidency,  and  excused  my  attendance  on 
the  ground,  which  is  firm  and  just,  of  the  necessity  of 
attending  to  my  private  concerns,  and  in  conformity  to  my 
determination  of  spending  the  remainder  of  my  days  in  a 
state  of  retirement." 

His  position  was  an  extremely  embarrassing  one.  The 
distracted  state  of  the  nation  called  for  some  great  move- 
ment to  unite  the  discordant  elements.    He  was  once  acrain 

o 

at  a  perilous  juncture  summoned  to  the  aid  of  his  country. 
But  he  had  already  given  reasons  for  not  attending  the 
Cincinnati,  which  would  be  doubly  applicable  to  the  Con- 
vention. To  use  his  own  words,  "it  was  a  delicate,  a 
perplexing  subject."  The  course  of  a  political  time-server 
—  the  trimmer  to  all  the  varying  gales  of  popular  favour, 
whose  policy  is  his  best  honesty,  was  a  plain  one  —  to  rid 
his  skirts  of  the  annoying  incumbrance,  and  to  rise  sublime 
over  every  petty  consideration  of  honour  and  delicacy.  So 
did  not  Washington.  Divided  between  contending  senti- 
ments, he  exhibited  a  degree  of  vacillation  that  was  foreign 


THE    C  I  X  C I X  X  A  T  I . 


43 


to  bis  character.  He  was  appealed  to  by  every  influence 
that  could  move  the  heart  of  a  patriot,  to  be  present  at  the 
Convention.  He  refused  —  he  accepted  —  he  refused  again 
—  and  again  he  accepted. 

On  the  8th  of  March,  he  wrote  to  General  Knox  in  these 
words  :  I  am  indirectly  and  delicately  pressed  to  attend 
this  Convention.  Several  reasons  are  opposed  to  it  in  my 
mind.  and.  not  the  least,  having  declined  attending  the 
general  meeting  of  the  Cincinnati  which  is  to  be  held  in 
Phikidelphia  at  the  same  time,  on  account  of  the  disrespect 
it  might  seem  to  offer  to  that  Society,  were  I  to  attend  on 
another  occasion." 

On  the  2 8 til  of  the  same  month,  he  wrote  to  Governor 
Randolph  as  follows  :  ^'  If  I  am  able,  and  should  go  to 
Philadelphia.  I  would  set  off  for  that  place  the  1st  or  2d 
of  May.  that  I  might  be  there  to  account  personally  for 
my  conduct  to  the  general  meeting  of  the  Cincinnati, 
which  is  to  convene  the  first  Monda}'  of  that  month.  My 
feelings  would  be  much  hurt  if  that  body  should,  otherwise, 
ascribe  my  attending  the  one  and  not  the  other  to  a  disre- 
spectful inattention  to  the  Society  —  when  the  fact  is.  that 
I  shall  ever  retain  the  most  lively  and  affectionate  regard 
for  the  members  of  it  —  on  account  of  their  attachment  to 
me,  and  uniform  support  upon  many  trying  occasions  — 
as  well  as  on  account  of  their  public  virtues,  patriotism, 
and  sufferina'S." 

On  the  27th  of  April  he  had  again  abandoned  all 
intention  of  going  to  Philadelphia,  as  appears  by  a  letter 
to  the  Secretary-General  of  the  Society,  and,  perhaps, 
language  could  not  express  a  greater  anxiety  not  to  give 


44 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


offence.  You  shall  have  his  own  words.  It  is  dated  at 
Mount  Vernon  :         ,  ,  

"  My  Dear  Sir, 

"After  every  consideration  my  judgment  was  able  to  give 
the  subject,  I  had  determined  to  yield  to  the  wishes  of 
many  of  my  friends,  who  seemed  extremely  anxious  for  my 
attending  the  Convention  which  is  proposed  to  be  holden 
in  Philadelphia,  the  second  Monday  of  May.  And  tho'  so 
much  afflicted  w^itli  a  rheumatic  complaint,  (of  which  I 
have  not  been  entirely  free  for  six  months,)  as  to  be  under 
the  necessity  of  carrying  my  arm  in  a  sling  for  the  last  ten 
days,  I  had  fixed  on  Monday  next  for  my  departure,  and 
had  made  every  necessary  arrangement  for  the  purpose, 
when,  (within  this  hour)  I  am  summoned  by  an  express, 
who  assures  me  not  a  moment  is  to  be  lost  to  see  a  mother 
and  onlij  sister  (who  are  supposed  to  be  in  the  agonies  of 
death)  expire ;  and  I  am  hastening  to  obey  this  melancholy 
call,  after  having  just  bid  an  eternal  farewell  to  a  much 
loved  brother,  who  was  the  intimate  companion  of  my 
youth,  and  the  most  affectionate  friend  of  my  ripened  age. 

"  This  journey  (of  more  than  one  hundred  miles),  in  the 
disordered  state  of  my  body,  will,  I  am  persuaded,  unfit 
me  for  the  intended  trip  to  Philadelphia,  and  assuredly 
prevent  me  from  offering  that  tribute  of  respect  to  my 
compatriots  in  arms,  which  results  from  affection  and 
gratitude  for  their  attachment  to,  and  support  of  me,  upon 
so  many  trying  occasions. 

"  For  this  purpose  it  was,  as  I  had,  tho'  with  a  good  deal 
of  reluctance,  consented  (from  a  conviction  that  our  affairs 


THE    CI  X  CI  XX  ATI. 


45 


were  verging  fast  to  ruin,  to  depart  from  the  resolution  I 
had  taken,  of  never  more  stepping  out  of  the  walks  of 
private  life. )  to  serve  in  this  Convention,  that  I  determined 
to  show  my  respect  to  the  general  meeting  of  the  Society, 
by  coming  to  Philadelphia  during  its  sitting.  As  the  hatter 
is  prevented;  and  the  highest  probability  is.  the  other  will 
not  take  place.  I  send  such  papers  as  have,  from  time  to 
time,  come  to  my  hands,  and  may  require  inspection,  and 
the  consideration  of  the  Cincinnati,  to  your  care.'' 

The  whole  of  the  preceding  paragraph,  as  you  will 
observe,  is  somewhat  involved.  Interlineations  and  era- 
sures, made  both  with  the  knife  and  the  pen.  clearly  show 
the  perplexity  of  the  writer.    He  concludes  in  these  words  : 

1  make  a  tender  of  my  affectionate  regards  to  the 
members  who  may  constitute  the  General  Meeting  of  the 
Society,  and  with  sentiments  of  the  highest  esteem. 
I  am.  my  dear  Sir. 

••Your  obdt.  humble  servant. 
••  To  Maj.-Gex.  Kxox.  Go.  AVashixgtox." 

Finally,  on  the  loth  of  May.  the  da}'  before  the  assem- 
bling of  the  Con\'ention.  General  "Washington  arrived  in 
Philadelphia.  The  Cincinnati  was  still  in  session.  It 
had  adjourned  from  the  State-House  to  Carpenter's  Hall, 
in  order  to  give  way  to  the  larger  and  more  important 
body.  Here  he  found  himself  once  more  surrounded  by 
his  former  companions  of  the  field.  Four  years  had 
elapsed  since  he  had  pledged  them  an  eternal  remem- 
brance, in  that  most  touching  and  trying  scene,  his  affee- 


46 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


tionate  farewell.  The  old  feeling  revived.  He  shook 
hands  with  General  Knox.  He  exchanged  friendly  greet- 
ings with  Hamilton,  Yarnum,  Jackson,  Humphreys,  Car- 
rington,  Mifilin,  and  Boudinot. 

"  Will  you  be  our  next  President  ?"  was  put  to  him  on 
every  side. 

,  ''1  will!"  said  Washington;  and,  on  the  18th  of  the 
same  month,  he  was  unanimously  re-elected  President- 
General  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati  —  a  position  that 
he  held  until  the  day  of  his  death. 

In  1788  (five  years  after  the  formation  of  the  Society) 
he  wrote  to  Mr.  Barton  in  this  wise  —  a  letter  which,  if 
written  in  our  country  at  the  present  day,  by  any  public 
man,  would  be  fatal  to  his  prospects  ; 

"  It  is  far  from  my  design,"  he  says,  "  to  intimate  an 
opinion  that  heraldry,  coat  armour,  etc.,  might  not  be 
rendered  conducive  to  public  and  private  uses  with  us,  or 
that  they  can  have  any  tendency  unfriendly  to  the  purest 
spirit  of  republicanism.    ❖    ❖    ❖  ❖ 

"While  the  minds  of  a  certain  portion  of  the  commu- 
nity (probably  from  turbulent  or  sinister  views)  are  or 
affect  to  be  haunted  with  the  very  spectre  of  innovation ; 
while  they  are  indefatigably  striving  to  make  the  credu- 
lity of  the  less-informed  part  of  the  citizens  subservient 
to  their  schemes,  in  believing  that  the  proposed  General 
Government  is  pregnant  with  the  seeds  of  discrimination, 
oligarchy,  and  despotism;  while  they  are  clamorously 
endeavouring  to  propagate  an  idea  that  those  whom  they 
wish  invidiously  to  designate  by  the  name  of  the  ^well- 


THE  CINCINNATI. 


47 


born/  are  meditating  to  distinguish  themselves  from  their 
compatriots^  and  to  wrest  the  dearest  privileges  from  the 
bulk  of  the  people^  [I  think  it  impolitic  to  agitate  any 
subject  that  may  tend  to  promote  these  feelings.]  *  ^' 
"  I  make  these  observations  Avith  the  greater  freedom, 
because  I  have  once  been  a  witness  to  what  I  conceived 
to  have  been  a  most  unreasonable  prejudice  against  an 
innocent  institution  —  I  mean  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati. 
I  was  conscious  that  my  own  proceedings  on  the  subject 
were  immaculate.  I  was  also  convinced  that  the  mem- 
bers, actuated  by  motives  of  sensibility,  charity,  and 
jDatriotism,  were  doing  a  laudable  thing  in  erecting  that 
memorial  of  their  common  services,  sufferings,  and  friend- 
ships." 

Six  months  after  the  date  of  this  letter,  General  Wash- 
ington was  unanimously  elected  first  President  of  what 
might  then  be  called  for  the  first  time  the  United  States. 

On  this  occasion  a  committee  was  appointed,  in  the 
name  of  the  Society,  to  present  a  congratulatory  address. 
This  is  his  reply : 

"Although  it  is  easier  for  you  to  conceive  than  for  me 
to  explain  the  pleasing  sensations  which  have  been  excited 
in  my  breast  by  your  congratulations  on  my  appointment 
to  the  head  of  this  rising  Republic,  yet  I  must  take  the 
liberty  to  thank  you  sincerely  for  the  polite  manner  in 
which  you  felicitate  our  countrymen,  and  testify  your 
regard  to  me,  on  this  occasion.    *        ❖  ❖ 

"  The  candour  of  your  fellow-citizens  acknowledges  the 
patriotism  of  your  conduct  in  peace,  as  their  gratitude  has 


48 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


declared  their  obligations  for  your  fortitude  and  perseve- 
rance in  war.  A  knowledge  that  they  now  do  justice  to 
the  purity  of  your  intentions,  ought  to  be  your  highest 
consolation,  as  the  fact  is  demonstrative  of  your  greatest 
glory.    ^    ^    ^  ^ 

"Whatever  titles  my  military  services  may  have  given 
me  to  the  regard  of  my  country,  they  are  principally 
conducted  by  the  firm  support  of  my  brave  and  faithful 
associates  in  the  field.  And  if  any  consideration  is  to  be 
attributed  to  the  successful  exercise  of  my  civil  duties,  it 
proceeds  in  a  great  measure  from  the  wisdom  of  the  laws, 
and  the  facility  which  the  disposition  of  my  fellow-citizens 
has  given  to  their  administration. 

"  To  the  most  affectionate  wishes  for  your  temporal  hap- 
piness, I  add  a  fervent  prayer  for  your  eternal  felicity. 

"Go,  Washington." 

Even  amidst  the  cares  and  responsibilities  of  an  office 
new  to  himself  and  the  world  at  large,  we  find  him  at 
times  occupied  with  the  concerns  of  the  Cincinnati.  I 
will  read  you  a  curious  letter  communicated  by  Washing- 
ton from  the  ci-devant  Viscount  de  Noailles,  then  a  mem- 
ber of  the  National  Assembly,  and  a  violent  Jacobin.  It 
will  show  the  estimation  in  which  the  Society  was  held 
in  France,  at  the  time  of  the  Kevolution.  The  English, 
as  you  will  perceive,  is  his  own.  It  is  dated  Paris,  April 
24th,  1790. 

"  Dear  General  :  —  I  have,  though  remote,  incessantly 
borne  you  that  share  of  admiration  you  have  filled  every 


THE    C I X  C I X  X  A  T I . 


49 


rrencliman's  breast  with  wlio  has  marched  under  joiiv 
colours.  It  is  not  only  now  with  a  spirit  replete  with 
freedom  that  I  durst  address  you,  but  partaking  of  all 
the  rights  nature  has  reserved  to  mankind  and  America 
has  reaped  the  first  benefits  of.  In  the  French  Eevolu- 
tion.  which  portends  the  greatest  blessings^  almost  all 
those  who  have  beheld  the  foundation  of  liberty  in  the 
United  Provinces,  have  brought  from  thence  of  American 
spirit;  and  have  disj)layed  it  with  undaunted  courage,  as 
they  have  had  a  hand  in  preparing  the  Eevolution,  so  are 
they  doomed  in  firmly  supporting  its  establishment.  Such 
a  brotherhood  has  been  of  the  utmost  help,  and  will  be 
our  greatest  prop.  It  is  in  your  power  to  contribute  to  its 
indissolubility  by  a  deed  both  equitable  and  useful.  The 
national  dignities  are  the  only  badges  we  set  a  value  on, 
and  are  willing  to  preserve.  The  Cross  of  St.  Louis,  the 
sign  of  military  service,  is  going  to  be  conferred  through- 
out all  the  ranks  of  the  army.  Condescend  in  granting 
the  same  favour  on  all  the  officers  who  have  been  under 
your  orders,  and  who  have  contributed  as  well  as  we  to 
the  salvation  of  the  commonwealth.  Condescend  to  ob- 
tain for  them  the  right  of  bearing  the  Order  of  Cincin- 
natus.  We  shall  hold  the  dearer  when  we  behold  our 
brethren  dignified  with  it.  Fill  up  their  vow  and  our 
own.  It  is  in  the  name  of  the  small  army  you  had  some 
esteem  for  I  durst  petition  the  favour.  It  is  granting  us  a 
second  reward,  of  having  our  fellow  at  arms  honoured  as 
well  as  we  with  a  benefaction  that  evinces  that  liberty  has 
been  laboured  for.  Such  a  bounty  were  less  pleasing,  and 
were  perhaps  impossible  in  experiencing  its  influence,  if 
4 


50 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


you  were  not  so  generous  as  to  diffuse  it  over  all  those 
who  are  entitled  to  it. 

"  The  deliberation  to  be  held  on  this  request  is  that  the 
officers  of  the  French  army  who  were  in  America  at  the 
time  M.  de  Eochambeau  left  the  continent  to  repair  to  the 
Leeward  Islands,  as  also  those  of  the  legion  of  Lauzun  be 
indulged  with  the  leave  of  bearing  the  Order  of  Cincin- 
natus,  provided  they  give  an  unexceptionable  testimony 
of  their  service,  and  obtain  a  certificate  of  their  corps, 
revised  and  signed  by  General  Eochambeau. 

"  Numbers  of  French  officers  have  brought  from  the 
American  war  but  scars.  They  will  receive  an  healing 
remedy  when  they  have  an  additional  proof  of  their  service. 

I  have  the  honour  to  be  with  respect,  dear  General, 
your  most  humble  and  obedient  servt. 

"NoAiLLES — a  member  of  the  National  Assembly." 

At  the  death  of  General  Washington,  which  clouded 
the  dawn  of  the  19th  century,  indications  of  grief  were 
exhibited  throughout  the  land  —  I  may  say  throughout 
the  civilized  globe.  But  from  no  body  of  men  did  there 
flow  a  more  genuine  feeling  of  heart-felt  affliction,  than 
from  his  brothers  of  the  Cincinnati.  The  returns  of  the 
several  State  Societies  at  this  time  are  black  with  obituary 
notices  —  every  honorary  tribute  of  affection  was  paid  to 
the  memory  of  their  late  President.  He  was  succeeded 
by  Alexander  Hamilton.  After  him  came  Charles  Cotes- 
worth  Pinckney.  r 

Thus  much  for  the  relations  that  subsisted  between 
General  Washington  and  the  Society  of  the  Cincinuati. 


T  H  E    C  I  X  C  I  X  X  A  T  1 .  51 

/  The  hereditary  succession  was  never  abandoned.  A 
recommendation  to  that  effect  was  indeed  made  to  the 
several  State  Societies,  at  the  first  General  Meeting:  in 
\  Philadelphia,  in  the  words  of  the  circular  letter  :  ^'  To 
\  remove  every  cause  of  inquietude,  to  annihilate  every 
source  of  jealousy,  and  to  designate  explicitly  the  ground 
on  which  they  stood."  But  the  proposition,  unwillingly 
urged,  was  accepted  in  deprecatory  terms  by  some,  and 
by  others  it  was  totally  rejected.  Pennsylvania  accepted; 
but,  in  an  address  to  the  General  Society,  expressed  the 
opinion  -'that  the  ground  of  the  Society  had  been  too 
much  narrowed,  and  that,  without  some  further  altera- 
tions, the  Society  itself  must  necessarily  in  the  course  of  a 
few  years,  reach  its  final  period."  To  overcome  the  diffi- 
culty, in  this  State  they  resort  to  the  formality  of  an  elec- 
tion. But  the  candidates  are  limited  to  the  descendants 
of  the  first  members,  accordiuir  to  the  terms  of  the  oridnal 
institution. 

The  Xew  York  Society  resolved  •*  that  because  the 
alterations  contained  no  certain  provision  for  the  continu- 
anc-e  of  the  Society  beyond  the  lives  of  the  present  mem- 
bers, it  would  be  inexpedient  to  adopt  them."  The  more 
fully  to  express  their  views,  a  remonstrance  was  drawn 
up.  whence  I  will  read  you  a  passage,  the  eloquence  of 
which  betrays  the  hand  of  Hamilton,  whose  name  is  at 
the  head  of  the  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose  : 

To  men  whose  views  are  not  unfriendly  to  those  prin- 
ciples which  form  the  basis  of  the  Union,  and  the  only  sure 
foundation  of  the  tranquillity  and  happiness  of  this  coun- 
trv.  it  can  never  appear  criminal,  that  a  class  of  citizens 


52 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


who  have  had  so  conspicuous  an  agency  in  the  American 
Revohition  as  those  who  compose  the  Society  of  the  Cin- 
cinnati, should  pledge  themselves  to  each  other,  in  a 
voluntary  association,,  to  support,  by  all  the  means  con- 
sistent with  the  laws,  that  noble  Fabric  of  United  Inde- 
pendence, which  at  so  much  hazard,  and  with  so  many 
sacrifices,  they  have  contributed  to  erect ;  a  Fabric  on  the 
solidity  and  duration  of  which  the  value  of  all  they  have 
done  must  depend !  and  America  can  never  have  cause  to 
condemn  an  Institution  calculated  to  give  energy  and 
extent  to  a  sentiment  favourable  to  the  preservation  of 
that  union,  by  which  she  established  her  liberties,  and  to 
which  she  must  owe  her  future  peace,  respectability,  and 
prosperity.  Experience,  we  doubt  not,  will  teach  her,  that 
the  members  of  the  Cincinnati,  always  actuated  by  the 
same  virtuous  and  generous  motives  which  have  hitherto 
directed  their  conduct,  will  pride  themselves  in  being, 
thro'  every  vicissitude  of  her  future  fate,  the  steady  and 
faithful  supporters  of  her  liberties,  her  laws,  and  her 
government." 

New  Hampshire  and  New  Jersey  indulged  in  this  plea- 
sant piece  of  sophistry : 

"  If  medals  only  can  create  an  order  of  nobility,  Con- 
gress has  already  ennobled  many  of  their  own  and  even 
foreign  officers,  in  bestowing  medals  on  them  for  brilliant 
services.  But  perhaps  it  may  be  said  the  difference  lies 
in  the  descent ;  if  this  proves  anything,  it  proves  that  the 
descent  of  a  medal  ennobles  a  descendant,  which  has  no 
such  effect  on  his  ancestor,  and  is  an  argument  too  feeble 
to  deserve  a  serious  refutation." 


THE  CINCINNATI. 


53 


At  the  Second  General  Meeting,  it  was  resolved  "that 
the  alterations  could  not  take  eflect  until  they  had  been 
agreed  to  by  all  the  State  Societies."  They  never  ^Yere 
so  agreed  to^  and  consequently  the  original  Institution 
remains  in  full  force.  Those  Societies  that  accepted  the 
proposed  alterations  unconditionally,  of  course  perished 
with  their  own  generation. 

It  remains  for  me  to  be  briefly  statistical.  But  six  of 
the  original  thirteen  States  now  respond  to  the  triennial 
call  of  the  Secretary-General.  They  are  Massachusetts, 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and  of 
course  South  Carolina. 

The  268  officers  of  the  Pennsjdvania  line  who  signed 
the  original  institution,  are  now  represented  by  about  60 
of  their  descendants.  Of  the  New  York  line,  230  signed 
the  original  institution  :  they  are  represented  by  73  of 
their  descendants.  The  Society  of  Massachusetts  has 
always  been  the  largest,  333  having  originally  signed  the 
institution,  now  represented  by  upwards  of  100  members. 
These  three  States,  assumed  as  a  standard,  will  sufficiently 
show  the  danger  accruing  to  the  perpetuity  of  the  Society 
from  too  strict  an  observance  of  the  hereditary  principle. 

Th^  next  General  Meeting  will  be  held  in  Charleston, 
S.  C;  when  that  article  of  their  constitution  which  ex- 
presses "'an  unalterable  determination  to  promote  and 
cherish  between  the  respective  States  that  union  so  essen- 
tial to  their  happiness,"  will  be  the  prevailing  sentiment. 
The  spirit  of  their  fathers  will  be  revived  among  men  of 
influence  in  the  land,  and  the  hospitalities  extended  on  the 
occasion  will  not  be  the  least  among  the  harmonizing 


54 


THE    SOCIETY  OF 


weights  in  that  delicately-hung  balance  where  so  many 
rival  interests  agitate  the  scales. 

The  pensioners  are  few  in  number.  The  funds  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Society  carry  cheerfulness  to  the  hearths  of 
about  twenty  families.  The  other  Societies  probably  dis- 
burse in  a  similar  proportion.  The  little  annuities  that  are 
paid  over  are  not  looked  upon  in  the  nature  of  alms, 
but  rather  as  the  right  of  the  participants.  It  is  the 
one  month's  pay  of  their  ancestors,  hardly  earned  and 
grudgingly  doled  out  to  them,  now  returned  with  increase 
after  many  days. 

Of  those  generous  hearts  who  had  this  tender  regard  for 
their  posterity,  not  one  survives  !  The  last  veteran  is 
gone !  and,  so  far  as  relates  to  the  founders  of  an  honour- 
able fraternity,  the  living  source  of  all  traditional  reminis- 
cence is  forever  closed.  On  the  29th  of  November,  1854 
(five  weeks  ago),  died  Major  Robert  Burnett,  the  last  sur- 
vivor of  the  original  Cincinnati.  He  died  at  his  residence, 
near  Newburgh,  hard  by  the  spot  where,  seventy  years  ago, 
he  entered  into  a  conspiracy  that  was  destined  to  cramp 
the  energies  of  the  growing  Republic,  The  scene  where 
accents  of  an  eternal  farewell  were  wrung  from  many  a 
warm  and  manly  heart.  He  lived  to  see  the  place  become 
a  mart  of  traffic,  busy  with  the  hum  of  life,  and  trade's 
unfeeling  train  sweep  by  to  dispossess  it  of  every  hallowed 
association.  He  lived  to  see  the  Cincinnati  the  graceful  ^ 
embodiment,  the  sign  and  symbol,  the  outward  exponent,  ( 
the  seal  and  impress  of  the  American  Revolution  —  an 
object  of  veneration  to  a  few;  to  the  many  scarce  the 
shadow  of  a  name  !    Such  are  the  mutations  of  time ! 

/ 


THE  CINCINNATI. 


55 


When  General  St.  Clair  and  Colonel  Sargent  gave  the 
name  of  their  favourite  Society  to  the  three  block-houses 
that  formed  a  settlement  then  called  Losanteville,  at  the 
confluence  of  the  Licking  and  the  Ohio,  they  little  thought 
they  were  enthroning  a  "Queen  of  the  West/'  and  erect- 
ing a  monument  which  will  probably  outlive  all  recollec- 
tion of  the  object  it  commemorates.  And  even  now.  per- 
hapSj  not  one  in  a  thousand  of  the  active  and  enterprising 
citizens  of  that  thrifty  "locality,"  as  he  brands  his  barrels 
of  "  prime  middlings,"  or  stencils  the  covers  of  his  "  sugar- 
cured  hams/'  or  pastes  the  label  upon  bottles  of  "sparkling 
Catawba/'  dreams  for  a  moment  that  he  is  spreading  over 
this  and  other  lands  the  name  of  an  association  that,  at 
one  time,  in  the  apprehension  of  many  sensible  people, 
threatened  the  liberties  of  his  country. 


JOURNAL 

01" 

THE    GETsERAL  iIEETI?s^G 
THE  CINCINNATI 

IX  17  84. 

BY  MAJOR  WIXTHROP  SARGEXT, 

A  DELEGATE  mOil  3IASSACHUSETTS. 

(57) 


PEEFACE. 


The  original  MS.  of  the  following  Journal  was 
found  by  the  editor  among  the  papers  of  the  late 
Governor  Sargent ;  and  at  the  suggestion  of  some 
friends  who  considered  its  historical  interest,  when 
taken  in  connection  with  the  little  that  seems  to  be 
generally  known  respecting  the  Society  to  which  it 
refers,  as  of  sufficient  importance  to  warrant  such 
a  step,  it  has  been  prepared  for  the  press. 

The  w^riter  w^as  born  at  Gloucester,  Massachusetts, 
May  1st,  1753;  graduated  with  distinction  at  Har- 
vard college ;  and  enlisted  in  the  American  army, 
then  besieging  Boston,  on  the  7th  of  July,  1775. 
He  declined  a  company  in  several  of  the  marching 
regiments ;  and  on  March  16th,  1776,  was  appointed 
eighth  Captain-Lieutenant  of  Knox's  regiment  of 
artillery,  as  appears  by  the  muster-roll  in  the  Knox 
MSS.  In  this  line  he  served  through  the  Ee volu- 
tion ary  war  ''with  great  reputation,"  according  to 
Washington,  who  had  ''a  high  opinion  of  his 
worth;"  and  gradually  rose  to  a  Majority.  The 
principal  actions  in  which  he  bore  a  part,  were  the 

(59) 


60 


PREFACE. 


siege  of  Boston ;  the  battle  of  Long  Island,  and  the 
operations  that  attended  the  retreat  from  New  York ; 
the  affairs  at  White  Plains,  Trenton,  and  Prince- 
ton ;  that  of  Brandywine,  Germantown,  and  Barren 
Hill;  of  Valley  Forge,  and  Monmouth,  &c.  In 
1785,  General  Washington  wrote  of  him,  "that  he 
entered  into  the  service  of  his  country  at  an  early 
period  of  the  war,  and  during  the  continuance  of 
it,  displayed  a  zeal,  integrity,  and  intelligence,  which 
did  honour  to  him  as  an  officer  and  a  gentleman." 
For  many  years  after  the  war,  he  filled  various 
offices  of  dignity,  both  civil  and  military.  In  1791, 
Colonel  Sargent  was  Adjutant-General  at  St.  Clair's 
defeat,  where  he  was  severely  wounded.  Two  bullets 
that  he  received  on  that  day  were  never  extracted, 
and  were  carried  in  his  body  through  the  rest  of  his 
life.  He  was  afterwards  Governor  of  the  Mississippi 
Territory,  where  he  died  in  1820. 

In  the  affairs  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati, 
Major  Sargent  had  taken,  in  common  with  hundreds 
of  other  officers,  a  great  interest.  The  decoration 
of  the  Order  appears  in  Stuart's  portrait  of  him, 
as  it  does  in  those  of  most  members  who  sat  to 
that  artist.  From  his  intimacy  with  Knox,  Putnam, 
Howe,  Shaw,  and  others  among  the  framers  of  the 
Institution,  it  is  probable  that  he  possessed  a  full 
knowledge  of  all  that  it  was  designed  to  accomplish ; 
but  if  this  was  anything  more  than  what  is  ex- 


PREFACE. 


61 


pressed  on  the  face  of  that  instrument,  he  has  left 
us  no  indication  of  it.  It  is  not  intended  here  to 
go  over  the  history  of  the  formation  of  the  Cincin- 
nati, and  the  chimours  that  were  raised  against  it. 
Mr.  Alexander  Johnston,  in  his  paper  before  the 
Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  has  referred  to 
all  this  in  a  manner  that  leaves  nothing  to  be  said 
in  this  place  on  the  subjects  he  has  treated  of.  But, 
having  at  various  times  given  some  attention  to 
the  matter,  the  editor  begs  leave  to  suggest  one  or 
two  points  that  have  occurred  to  him. 

In  an  article  in  the  North  American  Eeview  for 
October,  1853,  the  present  writer,  following  Marshall 
and  Sparks,  expressed  the  belief,  that  the  idea  of 
the  Society  was  first  suggested  by  Knox;  and  that 
the  Baron  de  Steuben  probably  had  at  least  been 
consulted  in  the  inception  of  the  scheme.  He  has 
since  been  favoured  with  the  perusal  of  the  original 
rough  draft  of  the  Society,  in  the  handwriting  of 
Knox,  and  dated  at  West  Point,  April  15th,  1783, 
being  considerably  antecedent  to  the  meeting  of  the 
officers,  May  10th,  1783  ;  which  gives  us  the  earliest 
intimation  we  have  of  the  formation  of  the  Cincin- 
nati. This  paper,  with  several  others  from  the 
same  source,  as  yet  unknown  to  the  press,  the 
editor  hopes  ere  long  to  receive  permission  to  make 
use  of;  in  which  event,  they  will  appear  in  an 
apj)endix  to  this  tract.    And  though  there  is  no 


62 


PREFACE . 


evidence  of  the  fact,  beyond  the  assertions  of  its 
enemies,  he  supposes  it  not  improbable,  that  one 
benefit  proposed  to  be  attained  by  the  officers  in 
thus  banding  themselves  together,  may  have  been 
an  increased  capacity  to  resist  the  threatened 
oppression  of  that  Government  they  had  themselves 
created ;  and  to  enforce  more  successfully  an  audi- 
ence of  their  claims  for  payment  of  their  lawfully 
earned  dues.  So  far  as  this  goes,  and  even  this  is 
purely  conjectural,  the  combination  may  perhaps 
have  been  political.  But,  as  for  the  creation  and 
hereditary  transmission  of  a  distinctive  badge  of 
their  Order,  it  amounted  in  reality  to  nothing  more 
than  the  expression  of  that  desire  for  glory  which 
is  the  breath  of  a  soldier's  nostrils.  In  all  ages, 
such  personal  distinctions  have  been  the  tempta- 
tion to  lure  men  into  perils,  for  which  mere  gold 
could  yield  no  compensation. 

For  gold  the  merchant  ploughs  the  main, 

The  farmer  ploughs  the  manor; 
But  glory  is  the  soldier's  prize,  ■  • 

The  soldier's  wealth  is  honour. 

A  statue  in  the  Comitium,  or  a  mural  crown, 
would  lead  the  Roman  veteran  through  flood  and 
flame;  the  crusader's  cross-legged  effigy,  even  in 
death,  preserved  the  memories  of  Acre  and  ''the 
listed  field  at  Askalon;"  and  a  ribbon  of  the 
Legion  of  Honour  atoned  to  tlie  followers  of  N'apo- 


PREFACE. 


63 


leon  for  tlie  poisoned  heats  of  Egy^Dt,  and  all  the 
frozen  horrors  of  the  Xorth.  It  is  not  then  strana^e 
that,  seeing  their  enemies  daily  rewarded  with  like 
trophies  by  the  King  of  England,  and  listening  to 
the  nightly  aspirations  of  their  allies  for  the  cross 
of  St.  Louis,  the  appropriate  reward  of  French 
prowess,  the  American  soldier  should  have  sighed 
in  his  turn  for  some  like  distinction.    That  it  was 
a  claim  to  public  consideration  to  have  served  with 
honour  in  the  ranks  of  the  Eevolution,  is  evident 
from  the  warmth  with  which  the  Order  itself  was 
inveighed  against  and  defended  :  and  that  it  should 
have   been   made   hereditary  might  have  been 
excused  by  the  plea  that  there  was  little  likelihood 
of  most  of  the  members  being  ever  able  to  leave 
much  else  to  their  children.    But  it  seems  more 
than  probable,  that  the  first  defined  suggestion  of 
the  assumption  of  a  distinctive  Order,  came  from 
Steuben,  or  some  other  foreigner.    This  idea  is 
hinted  at  in  a  sharp  letter  from  Lafayette  to  John 
Adams,  of  8th  of  March,  178L  (Life  and  Works 
of  Adams,  viii.,  p.  187.)    Remarking  on  certain 
animadversions  upon  the  Society  attributed  to  Mr. 
Adams,  in  which  it  was  styled  a  French  Uessing, 
Lafayette  says,  the  French  court  had  not,  so  far 
as  he  knew,  even  dreamed  of  the  Society,  before 
Coimt  de  Eochambeau  was  written  to  by  General 
Washinalon.     But  the  constant  association  of 


64 


PREFACE. 


French  officers,  bearing  the  Order  of  St.  Louis,  with 
the  Americans,  must  have  occasioned  many  sugges- 
tions for  the  creation  of  another  military  Order; 
and  it  is  not  incredible,  that  the  "considerable 
resemblance,''  noted  by  Macaulay,  between  a  rule 
of  the  Order  of  St.  Louis  and  that  ordained  by  the 
Censors  for  the  Roman  knights  in  the  age  of  Cin- 
cinnatus,  occurring  to  some  well-read  chevalier  des 
orclres  du  Roy,  of  Rochambeau's  camp,  may  have 
given  a  spur  to  the  comparison  which  fixed  the 
name  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati. 

However  this  be,  it  is  to  Knox  that  the  first 
development  of  the  scheme  is  to  be  ascribed :  "  ever 
noted  for  generous  impulses,''  says  Mr.  Irving,  he 
''suggested,  as  a  mode  of  perpetuating  the  friend- 
ships thus  formed,  and  keeping  alive  the  brother- 
hood of  the  camp,  the  formation  of  a  society  com- 
posed of  the  officers  of  the  army.  The  suggestion 
met  with  universal  concurrence,  and  the  hearty 
approbation  of  Washington."  Eochambeau,  indeed, 
attributes  a  greater  share  in  its  creation  than  mere 
approval  to  the  illustrious  Chief.  After  stating  that 
the  army,  threatened  with  being  turned  adrift 
unpaid  and  penniless,  was  ripe  for  revolt,  he  con- 
tinues: "Le  general  Washington,  conservant  ce 
caractere  noble  et  patriotique  qui  a  toujours  fait 
la  base  de  sa  conduite,  ramena  les  esj)rits  au 
sentimens  de  generosite  qui  les  avoient  animds  dans 


PREFACE. 


65 


le  coiirs  de  la  revolution.  II  fit  proposer  Tinstitii- 
tioii  de  la  societe  de  Cincinnatus,  pour  perpetuer  la 
memoire  de  1" alliance  de  la  France,  comme  un  lien 
^ternel  de  leur  confraternite  mutuelle,  et  la  marque 
honorable  de  leurs  services.''  (Memoires,  i.,  p.  321). 
But  this  language  is  too  general  to  testify  to  more 
than  the  Count's  opinion  as  to  the  cause  of  its 
creation :  the  question  of  its  paternity  must  remain 
as  given  by  Irving. 

On  May  10th.  1783.  a  meeting  of  the  officers  was 
held  at  the  cantonment  on  Hudson's  river,  and 
certain  proposals  for  the  Society  considered.  These 
proposals  were  probably  those  contained  in  Knox's 
rough  draft  of  April  loth,  already  alluded  to.  They 
were  amended,  and  referred  for  revision  to  a  com- 
mittee, of  whom  one  was  Captain  Shaw,  General 
Knox's  aide ;  and  the  form  of  institution,  as  reported 
by  them  on  the  13th  of  May,  being  agreed  to,  it  has 
continued  ever  since  in  force.  Mr.  Quincy,  in  his 
Life  of  Shaw,  who  was  secretary  of  the  committee, 
reports  on  the  authority  of  Colonel  Pickering,  the 
fact,  that  the  original  draft  of  the  constitution  of 
the  Society  was  from  Shaw's  pen.  This  probably 
refers  to  the  Institution  as  adopted :  with  the  par- 
ticulars of  which  the  reader  may  readily  acquaint 
himself,  by  recourse  to  the  official  publications  of 
the  Society.  Under  its  regulations,  the  first  general 
5 


66 


PREFACE. 


meeting  was  not  to  be  lield  until  May,  1784:  and 
a  meeting  of  persons  properly  authorized  was  there- 
fore held  on  June  19th,  1783,  to  choose  temporary 
officers.  An  ominous  foreboding  of  ill  might  have 
been  gathered  from  the  place  of  assembly  —  the 
new  building  at  the  cantonments  having  been  struck 
by  lightning  a  few  nights  before  during  a  violent 
storm,  and  its  flagstaff  shivered.  Certainly  a  storm 
of  another  kind  was  already  brewing  against  the 
Cincinnati.  Even  among  the  officers  themselves,  it 
had  opponents,  w^ho  refused  to  join  its  ranks  on 
account  of  its  anti-democratic  character.  General 
Heath  tells  us  that  he  hung  back  for  some  time, 
and  only  came  in,  lest  it  should  be  said  to  his 
posterity,  that  their  ancestor  was  guilty  of  some 
misconduct  which  deprived  him  of  his  badge.  But 
the  prevailing  wishes  of  the  officers  were  in  its 
favour. 

Far  different  was  the  feeling  in  other  quarters. 
The  opinion  of  Mr.  Adams,  that  the  formation  of 
the  Society  was  "the  first  step  taken  to  deface  the 
beauty  of  our  temple  of  liberty,'^  found  a  wider 
concurrence  than  most  of  that  gentleman's  senti- 
ments w^ere  fated  to  encounter.  As  the  year  rolled 
on,  the  public  uneasiness  was  increased  by  the 
appeals  of  the  press :  and  the  general  meeting  of 
May,  1784,  was  looked  to  with  an  interest  second 
only,  if  at  all,  to  that  inspired  by  the  coming 


PREFACE. 


67 


together  of  the  Congress.  Mr.  Irving  thus  relates 
the  occurrence  in  his  Life  of  Washington.  (IV. 
p.  454.) 

"The  time  was  now  approaching  when  the  first 
general  meeting  of  the  Order  of  Cincinnati  was  to 
be  held,  and  Washington  saw  with  deej)  concern  a 
popular  jealousy  awakened  concerning  it.  Judge 
Burke,  of  South  Carolina,  had  denounced  it  in  a 
pamphlet  as  an  attempt  to  elevate  the  military 
above  the  civil  classes,  and  to  institute  an  order  of 
nobility.  The  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  sounded 
an  alarm  that  was  echoed  in  Connecticut,  and  pro- 
longed from  State  to  State.  The  whole  Union  ivas 
put  on  its  guard  against  this  effort  to  form  an  heredi- 
tary aristocracy  out  of  the  military  chiefs  and 
powerful  families  of  the  several  States. 

"  Washington  endeavoured  to  allay  this  jealousy. 
In  his  letters  to  the  President  of  the  State  Societies, 
notifpng  the  meeting  which  was  to  be  held  in 
Philadelphia  on  the  1st  of  May,  he  expressed  his 
earnest  solicitude  that  it  should  be  respectable  for 
numbers  and  abilities,  and  wise  and  deliberate  in 
its  proceedings,  so  as  to  convince  the  public  that 
the  objects  of  the  Institution  were  patriotic  and 
praiseworthy. 

"The  Society  met  at  the  appointed  time  and 
place.  Washington  presided,  and  by  his  sagacious 
counsels  effected  modifications  of  its  constitution. 


68. 


PREFACE. 


The  hereditary  principle,  and  the  power  of  electing 
honorary  members,  were  abolished,  and  it  was 
reduced  to  the  harmless,  but  highly  respectable 
footing  on  which  it  still  exists. 

In  notifying  the  French  military  and  naval  offi- 
cers included  in  the  Society,  of  the  changes  which 
had  taken  place  in  its  constitution,  he  expressed 
his  ardent  hopes  that  it  would  render  permanent 
those  friendships  and  connections  which  had  happily 
taken  root  between  the  officers  of  the  two  nations. 
All  clamours  against  the  Order  now  ceased.  It 
became  a  rallying  place  for  old  comrades  in  arms, 
and  Washington  continued  to  preside  over  it  until 
his  death.'' 

In  this  statement,  Mr.  Irving  only  follows  Mar- 
shall, Sparks,  Guizot,  Hildreth,  C.  F.  Adams,  and 
other  writers;  and  not  unnaturally  falls  into  the 
same  conclusions.  The  general  meeting  of  1784 
undoubtedly  did  attempt  to  modify  the  Institution ; 
but  it  could  do  no  more  than  recommend  the 
acceptance  of  these  alterations  to  the  several  State 
Societies.  The  assent  of  all  the  States  was  neces- 
sary before  they  could  take  effect,  and  that  assent 
was  never  given :  wherefore  the  Society  stands  now 
on  the  same  footing  that  it  did  on  its  organization. 

The  meeting  of  1784  was  undoubtedly  looked  to 
with  a  great  interest;  and  the  fact  that  the  essential 
parts  of  the  Journal  which  follows  were  written  in 


PREFACE. 


69 


cypher,  shows  very  clearly  that  the  men  who  sate 
in  that  council  were  not  willing  the  public  should 
penetrate  their  secrets.  A  few  years  later,  the 
guillotine  was  the  penalty  inflicted  by  the  sister 
republic  for  the  crime  of  membership.  No  such 
state  of  things  could  have  been  contemplated  in 
1784 :  but  there  was  undoubtedly  a  general  jealousy 
of  the  Society.  What  transpired  in  its  meeting 
may  probably  be  recorded  in  its  archives :  but  in  no 
other  place  is  there  reason  to  suppose  any  account 
exists  of  the  proceedings  on  that  occasion,  save  in 
this  Journal.  The  reader  will  perceive  that  it  is 
written  freely,  and  without  the  formal  precision  of 
a  clerk :  perhaps  it  is  none  the  less  interesting  on 
that  score.  The  spelling  of  some  of  the  French 
names  may  also  be  noticed  as  an  example  of  the 
lack  of  colloquial  familiarity  between  the  two  nations 
at  that  day.  The  Count  de  Eochambeau  himself 
affords  a  case  of  compensation ;  in  whose  Memoirs 
of  our  war  one  is  sometimes  puzzled  to  recognize 
in  Heats,  Trumboldt,  Vaine,  Ohera,  and  Cabb,  the 
men  we  name  Heath,  Trumbull,  Wayne,  O'Hara, 
and  the  Baron  de  Kalb. 

The  meeting  of  the  Society  was  called  for  Monday, 
May  1st,  1784.  Probably,  nothing  was  done  on 
that  day,  as  the  Journal  commences  on  Tuesday, 
May  2nd.    It  terminates  abruptly  on  May  18th; 


70 


PREFACE. 


about  which  time  therefore,  it  is  hkely  that  the 
meeting  finally  adjourned.  It  is  understood  that 
the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati  has  in  contemplation 
the  preparation,  from  its  own  archives,  of  a  history 
that  will  doubtless  be  clear  and  full  on  many  points 
wherein  this  editor  is  necessarily  uninformed.  Such 
a  work  cannot  but  be  a  most  acceptable  contribution 
to  our  historical  literature.  In  the  mean  time,  it  is 
hoped  that  the  notes,  imperfect  as  many  of  them 
are,  appended  to  this  publication,  may  not  be  criti- 
cised with  too  severe  eyes ;  and  that  the  history  of 
the  meeting  of  1784,  now  for  the  first  time  made 
generally  known,  may  possess  some  interest  for  the 
inquirer  into  that  period  of  the  history  of  America 
and  of  Washington.  The  position  assumed  by  the 
Chief  on  this  occasion  has  often  been  declared  by 
his  biographers ;  but  the  concurrent  testimony  of 
one  of  his  most  devoted  followers,  given  with  that 
simplicity  and  frankness,  characteristic  of  a  soldier^s 
private  diary,  places  his  willingness  to  yield  to  the 
tide  of  popular  opinion,  in  a  very  strong  light.  For 
the  well-being  of  the  Cincinnati,  as  well  as  for  other 
causes,  the  editor  is  not  dissatisfied  that  those  efforts 
should  have  failed  of  entire  success. 


WiNTHROP  Sargent. 

Philadelphia,  Aug.  15,  1857. 


3nurniil  iif  tjie  Ciiirinmiti. 


1784. 


Tuesday,  the  4th  of  May,  17S4.  Assembled  at  the  City 
Tavern/  and,  after  choosmg  a  Committee  of  Three,  to 
examine  the  credentials  of  gentlemen  who  should  present 
themselves  as  delegates  to  the  General  Meeting,  adjourned 
till  9  o'clock  to-morro\v  morning. 

[May  oth,  1784.]  Convened  at  nine:  received  the 
report  of  the  Committee,  as  follows : 

Properly  elected  for 

NEW  HAMPSHIRE: 
Hexry  Dearborx;^ 

^  The  City  Tavern,  in  Second,  near  tlie  corner  of  Walnut  street,  was  then 
one  of  the  chief  public-houses  of  Philadelphia. 

2  Col.  Henry  Dearborn  (h.  1751;  d.  1829)  was  Secretary  at  War  from 
1801  to  1800 J  and,  during  the  war  of  1812,  commander-in-chief  of  the 
army. 

(71) 


72 


JOURNAL  OF 


MASSACHUSETTS: 
Henry  Knox;^ 
David  Cobb;^ 
KuFus  Putnam;^ 
William  Hull;^ 
Winthrop  Sargent; 

'  Of  the  Massachusetts  Society,  Knox  thus  writes  to  Washington,  from 
Boston,  Feb.  21,  1784:  "The  Cincinnati  appears,  however  groundlessly, 
to  be  an  object  of  jealousy.  The  idea  is  that  it  has  been  created  by  a 
foreign  influence,  in  order  to  change  our  forms  of  government.  *  *  *  * 
The  cool,  dispassionately  sensible  men  seem  to  approve  of  the  institution 
generally,  but  dislike  the  hereditary  descent.  The  two  branches  of  the 
Legislature  of  this  State,  namely,  the  Assembly  and  Senate,  have  chosen 
a  committee  '  to  inquire  into  any  associations  or  combinations  to  introduce 
undue  distinctions  into  the  community,  and  which  may  have  a  tendency 
to  create  a  race  of  hereditary  nobility,  contrary  to  the  confederation  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  spirit  of  the  Constitution  of  this  Commonwealth.' 
They  have  not  yet  reported,  and  perhaps  will  not.  The  same  sentiments 
pervade  New  England.  The  Society  here  have  had  a  respectable  meeting 
at  Boston,  on  the  10th  inst.,  at  which  Gen.  Lincoln  presided.  Gren.  Heath 
was  not  present.  A  Committee  was  chosen  to  attend  the  General  Meeting 
at  Philadelphia,  next  May — Gen.  R.  Putnam,  Col.  Cobb,  Lieut.-Col.  Hull, 
Major  Sargent,  and  myself.  Probably  only  two  will  attend.  It  was  thought 
prudent  not  to  make  any  honorary  members  at  present.  The  officers  and 
soldiers  conduct  themselves  in  an  exemplary  manner,  and  are  generally  as 
industrious  as  any  part  of  the  community.''  (Corr.  of  Rev.  ed.  Sparks; 
iv.  58.) 

2  Major-General  Knox,  the  friend  of  Washington  (h.  1750;  d,  1806). 
From  1783  to  1800,  he  was  Secretary  of  the  General  Society,  and  in  1805 
was  elected  its  Vice-President.  His  biography  is  now  being  written  by 
Mr.  Willard,  of  Boston. 

^  Lieut.-Col.  Cobb  was  in  1809  Lieutenant-Governor  of  Massachusetts, 
and  died  in  1828. 

^  Brig.-Gen.  Rufus  Putnam  (b.  1738  ;  d.  1824)  was  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  State  of  Ohio,  where  he  filled  many  important  offices.  (See  Burnet's 
Northwestern  Territory,  p.  43.) 

^  Lieut.-Col.  Hull,  whose  unfortunate  part  in  the  war  of  1812  is  well 
known     The  connection  of  Dearborn  and  Bloomfield,  two  of  his  brother 


THE    C  I  X  C I X  X  A  T  I . 


73 


RHODE  ISLAND: 
Nath'l  Greexe  ;  ^ 
James  Yerxom  ;  ^ 
Jeremiah  Olxey;^ 
Daxiel  Ltmax; 
Samuel  Ward  ; 

'   ^  CONNECTICUT: 

Samuel  H.  Parsoxs;^ 
Jededlih  Huxtixgtox;^   .     .  ^ 
Hemax  Swift  ; 

members;  with  the  court-martial  that  sentenced  him  to  be  ^^shot  to  death/' 
is  curious.  In  Clarke's  Hull,  this  General  Electing  is  mentioned,  but  no 
particulars  are  given  of  the  "interesting  business  which  had  called  them 
together/' 

^  Two  years  later  this  good  man  and  skilful  soldier  died  in  Georgia, 
where,  invited  by  an  exhibition  of  popular  affection  and  gratitude  not  less 
laudable  than  rare,  he  had  selected  his  abode. 

^  Probably  Major-General  James  3Iitchell  Yarniim,  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers of  Ohio,  who  died  in  1789. 

^  Colonel  Olney  had  served  with  distinction  through  the  war,  in  the  line 
of  Rhode  Island.  After  its  close,  he  was  the  President  of  the  Cincinnati 
of  that  State,  and  Collector  of  the  Customs  at  Providence,  for  many  years, 
in  times  when  Federal  offices  were  the  rewards  of  merit.  He  died  Xov. 
10,  1812,  in  his  63d  year,  leaving  a  reputation  for  worth  as  unblemished 
as  unusual.  (See  also  Eogers's  Am.  Biog.,  and  Coll.  R.  I.  Hist.  Soc, 
vol.  V.) 

^  Major-General  Samuel  Holden  Parsons:  born  May  14,  1737;  died  at 
Big  Beaver  Creek,  in  the  Xorthwestern  Territory,  X^ov.  17,  1789.  A 
contemporaneous  MS.  says:  "He  was  drowned  in  attempting  to  come 
down  that  river  (and  perhaps  near  the  Falls)  in  a  canoe,  with  one  man. 
His  family  have  suffered  a  severe  loss,  for  tho'  in  years,  and  thereby  im- 
paired in  his  capacities,  he  still  retained  the  ability  to  have  rendered  them 
important  services. 

Brig.-Gen.  Jedediah  Huntington :  h.  May  15,  1743  \  d.  Sept.  25, 
1818.  ^ 


74 


JOURNAL  OF 


Dayid  Humphreys;^ 
Jonathan  Trumbull;^ 

NEW  YORK:^ 
Philip  Cortland;'' 
Wm.  S.  Smith  ;^ 

*  Col.  David  Humphreys,  as  well  known  by  his  civil,  military,  and 
diplomatic  services,  as  by  his  ready  pen,  was  bom  in  1752,  and  died  in 
1818. 

^  Mr.  Trumbull  was,  in  1775,  appointed  by  Congress  paymaster  in  the 
Northern  Department,  and,  soon  after,  secretary  and  aid  to  General  Wash- 
ington.'^ Entering  into  the  civil  service  of  the  State,  he  was,  in  1791, 
chosen  Speaker  of  the  Federal  House  of  Representatives ;  in  1794  he  was 
elected  to  the  Senate;  and,  in  1798,  chosen  Grovernor  of  Connecticut,  to 
which  post  he  was  annually  re-elected  until  his  death,  in  1809.  (Alden's 
N.  E.  Biog.,  p.  397;  Barber's  Hist.  Coll.  Conn.,  p.  322.) 

^  Bespecting  this  delegation,  I  find  the  following  passage  on  page  24  of 
^'The  Institution  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,"  etc.  Published  by 
order  and  for  the  use  of  the  members  in  the  State  of  New  York  (New 
York  :  printed  by  Samuel  Loudon,  1784),  among  the  proceedings  of  the 
New  York  Society,  on  Feb.  9,  1784:  "On  motion,  Resolved,  That  the 
Society  proceed  immediately  to  the  choice  of  three  Deputies,  to  represent 
them  at  the  meeting  of  the  Greneral  Society,  any  two  of  whom  shall  be  a 
representation.  The  ballots  being  then  taken,  Brigadier-General  CorU 
landty  Lieutenant-Colonel  Smith,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Fisli,  were 
elected." 

^  Brig.-Gen.  Philip  Van  Cortlandt  died  at  his  seat  in  Westchester  county, 
New  York,  Nov.  5,  1831,  in  his  82d  year.  He  served  with  credit  from 
the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  and,  among  many 
other  battles,  had  the  fortune  to  share  in  the  glories  of  Saratoga  and  York- 
town.  After  the  war,  he  represented  his  district  in  Congress  for  nearly 
twenty  years;  and  to  his  death  ''possessed  the  esteem  and  confidence  of 
his  fellow-citizens."  I  find  this  gentleman's  name  generally  spelt  at  the 
time,  by  strangers,  as  in  the  text.  From  1783  to  1788  he  was  Treasurer 
of  the  Cincinnati  of  New  York. 

^  Lieut.-Col.  Wm.  S.  Smith  was  Secretary  of  the  New  York  Society  from 
1790  to  1793,  and  again  in  1803;  in  1794  he  was  chosen  its  Vice-Presi- 
dent, and  in  1804  its  President.    He  died  June  10,  1816. 


THE    C  I  X  C I X  X  A  T  I . 


Nicholas  Fish;^ 
James  Fairlie;^ 

NEW  JERSEY: 

Elias  Daytox;^ 
David  Brearly;^ 
Joxathax  Daytox  ;  ^ 
Aarox  Ogdex-^ 

PENXSYLYAXIA: 

JOHX  DiCKIXSOX;' 

^  Lieut. -Col.  Xicholas  Fish,  of  the  2d  N.  Y.  Regiment,  was  the  first 
Assistant  Treasurer  of  the  X"ew  York  Society ;  in  1795  its  Vice-Presi- 
dent; and  in  1797  its  President.  He  died  in  Xew  York,  June  20,  1833, 
aged  75  years.  His  son,  Gov.  Hamilton  Fish,  is  the  existing  President- 
General  of  the  Society. 

^  3Iajor  James  Fairlie,  ^^of  facetious  memory/'  was  a  lieutenant  in 
the  2d  X.  Y.  Regiment,  and  A.  D.  C.  to  the  Baron  de  Steuben.  He 
served  with  distinction  in  the  war,  and  is  mentioned  in  Heath's  Memoirs, 
p.  230.  He  was  Secretary  of  the  New  York  Society  in  1784,  and  Assis- 
tant Treasurer  in  1805.  Mr.  Irving  (Washington,  iv.  475)  records  that 
Washington,  while  on  a  water  party,  was  so  overcome  by  the  drollery  of 
one  of  Major  Fairlie's  stories,  '-that  he  fell  back  in  the  boat  in  a  paroxysm 
of  laughter."    Fairlie  died  Oct.  11,  1830. 

^  Brig. -Gen.  Elias  Dayton,  of  the  Xew  Jersey  line ;  died  in  1807,  aged 
70  years. 

^  Lieut. -Col.  David  Brearly  was  a  member  of  the  State  and  Federal 
Conventions,  and  for  nine  years  Chief-Justice  of  Xew  Jersey.  He  died 
Aug.  16,  1790,  in  his  45th  year.  (Barber  and  Howe;  Hist.  Coll.  N.  J., 
p.  303.) 

°  Jonathan  Dayton,  afterwards  speaker  of  the  House,  in  Congress,  and 
godfather  of  Dayton,  Ohio. 

^  Captain  Ogden  was  afterwards  a  Senator  in  Congress;  in  1813  was 
made  a  major-general,  but  declined  the  office;  Vice-President-General 
in  1825;  and  President-General  from  1822  to  his  death,  in  1839. 

'  John  Dickinson,  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  fourth  hono- 


76 


JOURNAL  OF 


Stephen  Moylan;^ 
Thomas  Eobinson;^  ^ 
Thomas  B.  Bowen;^ 
Abraham  G.  Claypole  ; 

DELAWAKE: 

James  Tilton;^ 
James  Moore  ;^ 

MARYLAND: 

William  Smallwood;^ 
Otho  H.  Williams  ;  ^ 
Nath'l  Ramsay; 

Wm.  PacA;^ 

rary  member  of  the  Cincinnati  of  that  State :  h.  1732  3  d.  1808.  For 
a  sketch  of  his  character,  see  Flanders's  Chief- Justices  of  the  United 
States,  i.  137. 

'  Brig.-G-en.  Moylan,  a  native  of  Ireland,  was  colonel  of  the  4th  Light 
Dragoons :  in  1800  Vice-President  of  the  Pennsylvania  Society. 

^  Lieut.-Col.  Robinson,  of  the  2d  Penna.  Regt.,  a  native  of  Ireland. 

^  Captain  Thomas  Bartholomew  Bowen,  of  the  1st  Penna.  Regt.,  was 
at  one  time  a  member  of  the  South  Carolina  Society. 
Captain  Claypoole,  of  the  3d  Penna.  Regt. 

^  Dr.  James  Tilton  was  born  in  1745 ;  was  physician  and  Surgeon- 
General  of  the  army  in  the  war  of  1812 ;  and  died  in  Delaware  in  1822. 

^  Major  Moore  was  in  1800  Assistant  Treasurer  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Society. 

^  Major-G-eneral  Smallwood,  Governor  of  Maryland  in  1785,  and  Presi- 
dent of  the  State  Cincinnati ;  d.  1792.  Several  letters  concerning  the 
meeting  of  1784  are  given  in  the  Maryland  Papers  of  the  Seventy-six 
Society. 

«Brig.-Gen.  Williams:  h.  1748;  d.  1794. 

^  Gov.  Paca  was  a  signer  of  the  Declaration,  and  Governor  and  Chief- 
Justice  of  Maryland  :  h,  1740;  d.  1799. 


THE  CINCINNATI. 


VIRGINIA: 

George  Wheedon;' 
WyL.  IIeth; 
Henry  Lee;^ 
James  Wood;^ 


NORTH  CAROLINA: 

Reading  Blount;^ 
Archibald  Ltghtle;^ 
Griffith  J.  M'Kee  ;  ^ 

SOUTH  CAROLINA: 
Wm.  Washington;^ 

'  Brig. -Gen.  Weedon,  before  the  war,  was  an  innkeeper  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Virginia. 

^  Afterwards  Governor  Lee,  originator  of  the  phrase  which  names  "Wash- 
ington as  "first  in  war,  first  in  peace,  and  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  country- 
men.'' Born,  1756 ;  died  in  1818,  of  wounds  received  from  a  mob  of 
political  opponents  at  Baltimore,  in  1812.    (Howe's  Hist.  Coll.  Va.,  511.) 

^  Col.  Wood  was  afterwards  Governor  of  Virginia;  in  whose  honor  is 
named  W^ood  county;  died  1813. 

"  Heading  Blount  was  captain  in  the  North  Carolina  line  in  1776. 
(Wheeler's  N.  C,  i.  80.) 

^  Wheeler  says  Archibald  Lytle  was  a  captain  of  the  N.  C.  line  in 
1776. 

^  Grifl&th  John  M'Kee;  h.  in  North  Carolina  in  1753;  major  and  bvt. 
It.-col.  in  revolutionary  army ;  capt.  artillerist  and  engineers,  June  2, 
1794;  resigned  April  24,  1798.  Collector  of  Wilmington,  N.  C,  April, 
1798.    Died  Oct.  3,  1801.    (Gardner's  Army  Diet.;  Wheeler's  N.  C) 

'  Lieut. -Col.  Wm.  A.  W^ashington,  of  the  South  Carolina  line.  From 
1798  to  1800  he  held  a  brigadier's  commission  in  the  Federal  army;  died 
1810. 


78 


JOURNAL  OF 


Walton  White 
Lewis  Morris;^ 
George  Turner  ;3 

GEORGIA: 

John  S.  Eustace  ;  ^ 
Alex'r  D.  Cuthbert; 
John  Lucas; 
James  Feilds. 


General  Washington,  President-General/  and  General 
Knox,  Treasurer,  begged  leave  to  resign  tlieir  offices. 
The  President  was  then  requested  to  resume  his  seat,  as 
a  temporary  appointment,  for  the  whole  business  of  this 
General  Meeting;  and  Major  Turner  was  desired  to 
attend  to  the  duty  of  scribe: — After  which,  we  resolved 
ourselves  into  a  committee  of  the  whole,  Col.  Eamsay  in 

^  Col.  Anthony  Walton  White,  of  the  1st  Light  Dragoons,  seems  to  have 
been  originally  a  member  of  the  South  Carolina  Society,  and  afterwards  of 
that  of  New  York.  G-ardner  (Army  Diet.)  says  he  was  of  Virginia,  and 
brigadier  from  1798  to  1800.    He  died  Feb.  10,  1803. 

^  Lieut. -Col.  Lewis  Morris  was  an  original  member  of  the  Society  of 
South  Carolina,  to  which  State  he  had  probably  removed  from  New  York. 

^  Major  Turner  was  a  captain  in  the  South  Carolina  line.  In  1787  he 
was  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  General  Society;  and  in  after  years,  I 
think,  a  Federal  judge  in  the  Northwestern  Territory. 

Major  John  Skey  Eustace,  who  had  settled  in  Georgia  at  the  close  of 
the  war.  In  1794  he  went  abroad,  and  rose  to  be  a  major-general  in  the 
French  service;  commanding  a  division  in  Flanders  in  1794.  He  returned 
to  New  York  in  1800,  and  died  at  Newburgh  in  1805. 

^  From  the  foundation  of  this  Order  to  the  end  of  his  life,  Washington 
continued  its  head.  He  had  arrived  in  Philadelphia  from  Mount  Vernon, 
to  attend  this  meeting,  on  Saturday,  May  1,  1784. 


THE    CI  X  CI  XX  ATI. 


79 


the  cliair.  and  the  Institution  was  read.  aQTeeably  to  the 
general  resolution. 

The  President  then  arose ;  —  express'd  the  opposition  of 
the  State  of  Virginia  and  other  States;  —  observ'd  that  it 
had  become  violent  and  formidable,  and  called  for  serious 
consideration ;  —  desired  of  the  members  of  the  several 
States  to  declare  the  ideas  which  prevailed  in  their  coun- 
tries with  regard  to  our  Institution,  and  the  various  man- 
ners which  they  had  pursued  to  obtain  this  knowledge.^ 

Connecticut,  by  Colonel  Humphreys; — a  very  general 
disapprobation  of  the  People. 

Massachusetts,  by  General  Knox ;  —  expressed  simiilar 
sentiments  —  with  this  difference,  that  some  verv  sincerely 
wish  its  existence,  but  with  alterations  material.'^ 

^  On  the  8th  April,  1784,  TTashington  had  written  to  Jefferson,  '-in- 
quiring into  the  real  state  of  public  opinion,  as  well  as  the  sentiments  of 
Congress,^'  on  the  subject  of  the  Cincinnati.  Jefferson  replied  at  great 
length,  decidedly  opposing  the  Society  as  then  constituted,  and  reciting 
with  much  force  the  usual  objections  against  it.  He  gives  his  impression 
that  the  Congress  was  unfavourable  to  it^  and  that  although  they  might  not 
express  their  sentiments  unless  forced  to  do  so,  they  would  probably  '-'check 
it  by  side  blows  whenever  it  came  in  their  way ;  and  in  competitions  for 
office,  on  equal,  or  nearly  equal  grounds,  would  give  silent  preferences  to 
those  who  are  not  of  the  fraternity."  He  concludes  with  the  opinion  that 
if  it  was  intended  to  continue  the  Society,  it  would  be  better  to  make  no 
application  to  Congress;  and  that  no  modification  of  it  would  be  unobjec- 
tionable, except  that  which  would  "amount  to  annihilation;'^  for  such 
would  be  the  effect  of  parting  with  its  inheritability,  its  organization,  and  its 
assemblies.  (Tucker's  Jefferson  ;  i.  169.)  The  Cincinnati  of  Virginia,  as  a 
separate  organization,  no  longer  exists.  Its  last  meeting  was  in  IS'22,  when 
its  funds,  amounting  to  $15,000,  were  transferred  to  Washington  College. 

^  At  the  celebration  of  the  4th  of  July,  1784,  by  a.  public  dinner,  in 
Boston,  it  was  thus  toasted  from  the  balcony :     May  the  Members  of  the 
honourable  Society  of  Cincinnati  ever  retain  that  honour  in  present  esta- 
blishment, which  their  bravery  and  virtues  had  acquired  in  their  3Iilitary.'\ 
(Ereeman's  Journal,  Xo.  ISO.) 


80 


JOURNAL  OF 


New  York,  by  Colonel  Smith ;  —  declared  no  opposition. 

Delaware,  by  Mr.  Til  ton;  —  informed  that  the  principal 
and  indeed  only  enemies  of  the  Cincinnati  were  among  the 
class  of  people  denominated  Tories. 

Colonel  White,  from  South  Carolina; —  gave  it  as  his 
opinion,  that  almost  all  the  various  classes  in  the  State 
from  whence  he  came,  were  opposed  to  the  Institution  in 
its  present  form/ 

Georgia,  by  Major  Cuthbert ;  - —  declared  the  very  oppo- 
site. 

Captain  Dayton  arose  —  and  informed  the  Meeting  that 
he  did  not  know  the  sentiments  of  the  People  generally  in 
the  State  of  Jersey,  but  that  it  was  the  determination  of 
the  Society  to  preserve  and  support  its  dignity. 

Pennsylvania,  by  Governor  Dickison ;  —  as  an  objection 
of  the  People's,  pointed  out  the  hereditary  part. 

New  Hampshire,  by  Colonel  Dearbourne ;  —  declared 
that  the  opinions  of  the  State  were  very  generally  in 

^  This  opinion  of  Colonel  White's  seems  to  be  confirmed  by  a  passage  in 
the  Postscript  to  the  Considerations  on  the  Cincinnatij  published  at  Phila- 
delphia in  1783,  and  written  at  Charleston,  by  Judge  Aedanus  Burke,  over 
the  signature  of  Cassius :  Since  the  foregoing  publication  was  in  press, 
a  set  of  the  Kules  and  Bye-Laws  of  the  Society  of  Cincinnati  established 
in  South  Carolina,  have  been  printed  and  handed  about  in  this  city."  He 
cites  the  first  rule,  as  follows :  The  State  Society  accedes  to  the  proposi- 
tions and  rules  transmitted  to  Maj.-Gen.  Moultrie  by  Maj.-Gen.  Heath  and 
Steuben,  respectively,  on  the  20th  May  and  —  day  of  June  last :  with  this 
reservation,  that  if  the  said  propositions  or  rules  should  by  any  construc- 
tion be  held  obligatory  on  the  Society,  to  interfere  in  any  shape  whatsoever, 
with  the  civil  polity,  of  this  or  any  of  the  United  States,  or  the  United 
States  in  general,  this  Society  will  not  deem  themselves  bound  thereby : 
They  prizing  too  highly  the  civil  rights  of  their  country,  and  their  own 
rights  as  citizens,  to  consent  that  a  military  society  should  in  any  sense 
dictate  to  civil  authority/' 


THE    C  I  X  C I X  X  A  T  I . 


81 


opposition  to  the  Institution  on  its  present  Establish- 
ment.^ 

The  President-General  arose,  and  acknowledged  the  in- 
formation from  all  the  States — endeavoured  to  prove  the 
disagreeable  consequences  which  would  result  to  the 
Members  of  the  Cincinnati  from  preserving  the  Institu- 
tion in  its  present  form  —  illustrated  the  force  and 
strength  of  opposition  to  it  in  a  variety  of  examples, 
supported  by  his  own  knowledge,  and  informations  from 
confidential  friends  —  proposed  as  the  most  exceptionable 
parts  and  that  require  alteration  in  their  very  essence,  the 

^  It  will  be  seen  that  there  was  no  reply  from  Virginia,  Maryland,  Xorth 
Carolina,  or  Rhode  Island.  The  first  two  States  were  probably  present, 
but  considered  their  sentiments  as  delivered  by  Washington.  Xorth  Caro- 
lina and  Rhode  Island  were  probably  absent  at  this  stage  of  the  proceed- 
ings. The  popular  feeling  in  the  last  is  manifested  by  a  passage  in  Bailey's 
Freeman's  Journal  (Philadelphia,  April  28,  1784):  "V^^e  hear  that  the 
State  of  Rhode  Island  is  determined  to  disfranchise  any  and  every  person 
who  is  a  member  of  the  Order  of  Cincinnati,  and  render  them  incapable 
of  holding  any  post  of  honour  and  trust  in  that  government." 

It  is  odd,  that  the  only  notice  of  the  session  of  this  Meeting  that  I  find 
in  any  of  the  local  papers  of  the  day,  is  the  following  paragraph  in  David 
C.  Claypoole's  paper  (the  Pennsylvania  Packet)  of  June  12,  1784,  where 
it  is  copied  from  a  Charleston  (S.  C.)  journal,  as  an  extract  of  a  letter 
dated  May  5,  1784,  from  a  gentleman  in  Philadelphia  to  his  friend  in  that 
city:  '"I  am  at  present  as  a  representative  to  the  Society  of  the  Cincin- 
nati, we  shall  have  a  very  full  meeting:  members  from  eleven  States  have 
already  appeared,  and  the  others  are  hourly  expected.  T\'e  are  wounded 
in  our  feelings  to  learn  that  so  many  visionary  and  ill-founded  apprehen- 
sions, have  taken  possession  of  the  minds  of  many  citizens,  whose  good 
opinions  we  would  wish  to  have ;  and  as  we  are  conscious  of  the  most  pure 
intentions,  I  apprehend  that  it  will  be  the  universal  sentiment  of  this 
meeting,  to  expunge,  strictly  define,  and  explain,  every  part  which  can 
possibly  give,  or  has  given,  offence  to  any  honest,  candid  mind.  If  envy, 
or  a  restless  spirit,  should  still  pursue  us  with  effect,  we  must,  I  suppose, 
submit  to  the  rod  of  power,  and  lament  the  ungrateful  suspicions  of  a 
country,  of  which  we  think  we  merit  more  favourable  opinions." 

6 


82 


JOURNAL  OF 


following,  viz:  — the  hereditary  part  —  interference  with 
politicks  —  honorary  members  ^ — increase  of  funds  from 
donations  —  and  the  dangers  which  would  be  the  result 
to  community  from  the  influence  they  would  give  us  — 
declared  that  was  it  not  for  the  connection  we  stood  in 
with  the  very  distinguished  Foreigners  in  this  Institution, 
he  would  propose  to  the  Society  to  make  one  great  sacri- 
fice more  to  the  world,  and  abolish  the  Order  altogether- — 
the  charitable  part  excepted  —  that  considering  the  con- 
nection which  we  stood  in  with  France,  the  particular 
situation  in  which  our  Society  had  placed  some  of  their 
Officers,  he  was  willing,  provided  we  could  fall  on  a 
middle  way,  that  would  neither  lead  us  to  the  displeasing 
of  them  or  encouraging  the  jealousies  and  suspicions  of  our 
countrymen,  to  adopt  it.  But  he  doubted  if  this  was 
possible,  and  if  it  should  so  appear  on  a  full  investigation, 
he  was  determined  at  all  events  to  withdraw  his  name 
from  amongst  us.  .  \ 

The  General  here  in  confidence  introduced  a  report  of 
-a  Committee  of  Congress,  that  no  persons  holding  an  here- 
ditary title  or  order  of  nobility  should  be  eligible  to  citi- 
zenship in  the  new  State  they  are  about  to  establish,  and 
declared  that  he  knew  this  to  be  levelled  at  our  Institu- 
tion ■ —  that  our  friends  had  prevented  its  passing  into 
resolution,  till  the  result  of  this  meeting  should  be 
known ;  ^  but  if  we  do  not  make  it  conformable  to  their 
sense  of  republican  principles,  we  might  expect  every 

'  This  curious  passage  seems  to  point  out  the  origin  of  Art.  T,  §  9,  cl.  8, 
of  the  Federal  Constitution.  Congress  at  this  time  was  in  session  at 
Annapolis :  it  adjourned  June  3d,  to  meet  again  at  Trenton,  Oct.  30, 
1784. 


THE    C  I  X  C  I  X  X  A  T  I . 


83 


discouragement  and  even  jyersecution  from  them  and  the 
States  severally.  That  ninety-nine  in  a  hundred  would 
become  our  violent  enemies. 

Here  the  General  introduced  a  private  letter  from  the 
Marquis  Lafayette^  objecting  to  the  hereditary  part  of  the 
Institution,  as  repugnant  to  a  republican  sj'stem^  and  very 
exceptionable/ 

Jersey  and  New  York  take  the  matter  up  on  this  letter, 
and  in  the  strongest  terms  oppose  the  entire  abolition  of 
the  hereditary  rights  and  honours  of  the  Society. 

Committee  rose  —  President  resum'd  his  seat,  and  the 
chairman  reported  to  have  made  some  Progress  in  the 
Business  before  the  Committee  —  begged  leave  to  sit  again 
at  nine  o'clock  to-morrow  morning,  to  which  time  this 
meeting  stands  adjourned. 

Thursday,  May  the  6th,  1784.  Met  according  to  adjourn- 
ment.   The  Proceedings  of  the  preceding  day  were  read. 

^  "  Most  of  the  Americans  here  are  virulent  against  our  Association. 
Wadsworth  must  be  excepted,  and  Dr.  Franklin  said  little ;  but  Jay, 
Adams,  and  all  the  others,  warmly  blame  the  array.  You  easily  guess  I 
am  not  remiss  in  opposing  them.  However,  if  it  is  found  that  the  here- 
dity endangers  the  true  principles  of  democracy,  I  am  as  ready  as  any  man 
to  renounce  it.  You  will  be  my  compass,  my  dear  General,  because,  at 
this  distance,  I  cannot  judge.  In  case,  after  better  consideration,  you  find 
that  heredity  will  injure  our  democratic  constitutions,  I  join  with  you,  by 
proxy,  in  voting  against  it.  But  I  do  so  much  rely  on  your  judgment  that, 
if  you  think  heredity  is  a  proper  scheme,  I  shall  be  convinced  that  your 
patriotism  has  considered  the  matter  in  the  best  point  of  view.  To  you 
alone  would  I  say  so  much  ;  and  I  abide  by  your  opinion  in  the  matter. 
Let  the  foregoing  be  confidential,  but  I  am  sure  your  disinterested  virtue 
will  weigh  all  possible  future  consequences  of  hereditary  distinctions." 
Lafayette  to  Washington;  Paris,  March  9,  178-4.  (Corr.  of  Eev.  ed. 
Sparks,  iv.  61.) 


84 


JOURNAL  OF 


Order  of  the  day  moved  for,  and  the  Meeting  resolved  into 
a  Committe  of  the  Whole.  A  private  letter  was  introduced 
by  General  Knox  from  the  Chevalier,  General  Chateaux- 
leau,'  the  sentiments  of  which  seemed  opposed  to  the 
hereditary  part  of  the  Institution  of  Cincinnati.  General 
Washington  arose,  and  again  opposed  this  part  as  particu- 
larly obnoxious  to  the  people.  In  a  very  long  speech,  and 
with  much  w\armth  and  agitation,  he  expressed  himself  on 
all  the  Parts  of  the  Institution  deemed  exceptionable,  and 
reiterated  his  determination  to  vacate  his  place  in  the 
Society,  if  it  could  not  be  accommodated  to  the  feeling  and 
pleasure  of  the  several  States. 

New  York  spoke  in  favour  of  the  present  form  of  Insti- 
tution, as  perfectly  consonant  with  the  feelings  of  the  people 
of  their  State. 

A  final  Keport  of  the  Committee  being  resolved,  the 
President  resumed  his  seat,  and  the  Chairman  reported, 
that  the  Committee  of  the  Whole  had  taken  into  conside- 
ration the  Institution  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  and 
were  of  opinion,  that  it  ought  to  be  revised  and  amended  : — 
Submitted  for  the  determination  of  the  Meeting,  where- 
upon 'twas  resolved  that  a  Committee,  to  consist  of  one 
Member  from  each  State,  should  be  immediately  appointed 
for  this  Purpose.  The  ballots  being  taken  by  States, 
(which  is  the  mode  of  voting  determined  in  this  Meeting,) 
the  following  Election  is  declared  duly  made,  viz. : 

'  M.  de  Chastellux  published  his  Travels  in  America :  of  which  work, 
and  its  connection  with  his  marriage,  see  an  amusing  tale  in  D'Oberkirch, 
iii.  287. 


THE    C  I  X  C I  X  X  A  T  I . 


85 


New  Hampshire :     .    .    .  Coloxel  Dearbourxe  ; 

Massachusetts :     .    .    .    .  Gexeral  Kxox  ; 
Rhode  Island :    .  ... 

Connecticut :   Coloxel  Hum  preys  ; 

.  New  York :   Coloxel  Smith  ; 

■  New  Jersey  :   Chief  Justice  Brearlt  ; 

Delaware  :   Doctor  Tiltox  ; 

Pennsylvania :     .    .    .    .  Goverxor  Dickixsox  ; 

Maryland  :   Gexeral  Smallwood  ; 

Virginia :  ,  Gexeral  AYheedox  ; 

South  Carolina:     .     .     .  Coloxel  Washixgtox; 

North  Carolina :     .     .     .  Major  Blouxt  ; 

Georgia:    ......  Major  Cuthbert. 

The  Committee  proceeded  to  business  :  and  House  to  the 
reading  of  sundry  letters  and  papers  before  them  respecting 
the  Society;  some  of  wliich  are  referred  to  the  Committee 
as  connected  with  the  Institution  immediately  and  very 
materially. 

A  number  of  papers  addressed  to  this  Society  being  in 
the  French  language,  a  Committee  is  to  be  appointed  to 
translate  them.  General  Moylan  and  General  Williams 
the  committee.  They  are  desired  to  translate  all  the 
French;  and  arrange  them  and  other  papers  properly  for 
the  attention  of  this  Meeting.  Adjourned  to  the  hour  of 
12  to-morrow  morning. 

Friday.  May  the  7th.  Met  agreeable  to  adjournment. 
Major  Blount,  a  delegate  from  North  Carolina,  attended, 
produced  his  credentials,  and  took  a  seat  with  the  Com- 
mittee of  Ee vision. 


86 


JOURNAL  OF 


The  Committee  for  translating  and  arranging  the  papers, 
report  that  they  have  made  some  progress,  and  ask  further 
time  for  completing  their  business :  and  lay  the  letters  and 
papers  which  are  ready  for  inspection  before  the  Meeting, 

The  Committee  for  revising  and  amending  the  Institu- 
tion, also  report  that  they  have  made  some  progress,  and 
ask  permission  to  sit  again. 

The  Meeting  proceed  to  the  reading  of  papers  laid  before 
them  respecting  the  Society.  ,.    ....  ^ 

Resolved,  that  the  President-General  have  a  right,  ex 
officio^  to  attend  all  committees :  —  debate,  and  vote.  Ad- 
journed to  12  o'clock  to-morrow. 

Saturday  Morning.  Assembled  agreeable  to  the  adjourn- 
ment of  3^esterday.  Entered  on  the  reading  of  the  papers 
addressed  to  the  Society,  in  the  order  they  were  laid  before 
the  Meeting.  Major  Turner,  temporary  scribe  to  the 
Society,  begs  leave  to  resign,  which  being  granted,  Colonel 
Trumbull  is  elected  to  that  office. 

The  Committee  appointed  to  revise  and  amend  certain 
matters  and  things  in  the  Institution  of  the  Society  of  the 
Cincinnati,  report  that  they  have  finished  their  business, 
and  beg  leave  to  lay  their  proceedings  before  the  Meeting. 
Eesolved,  that  they  be  read  and  laid  on  the  table. 

The  Committee  for  arrangement  of  the  papers,  report 
that  they  have  ready  for  inspection  of  the  Meeting  a  part, 
which  they  wish  to  lay  on  the  table;  and  ask  to  sit  again. 

Resolved,  that  this  General  Meeting  will  on  Monday 
next  go  into  a  Committee  of  the  Whole,  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  alterations  and  amendments  of  the  Institu- 
tion of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  as  proposed  and 


THE    C  I  X  C I X  N  A  T  I . 


87 


reported  by  the  Committee  appointed  for  that  purpose. 
Adjourned  to  Monday  morning,  at  9  o'clock. 

The  following  is  the  form  of  the  Institution,  agreeable 
to  the  Alterations  and  Amendments  proposed.^ 

1-5/.  —  It  having  pleased  the  Supreme 
Governor  of  the  Universe  in  the  disposition 
of  human  afiairs.  to  cause  the  separation 
of  the  Colonies  of  Xorth  America  from  the 
domir.ation  of  Great  Britain,  and  after  a 
bloody  conflict  of  eight  years,  to  establish 
them  Free.  Independent,  and  Sovereign 
States,  connected  by  alliances,  founded  on 
reciprocal  advantage,  with  some  of  the 
great  Princes  and  Powers  of  this  Earth. 
Therefore.  —  Gratefully  to  commemorate 
this  vast  event  —  to  continue  the  mutual 
Friendships  which  have  been  formed  under 
the  pressure  of  common  danger,  and  in 
many  instances  cemented  by  the  blood  of 
the  parties,  and  to  inctdcate  the  great  social 
duty  of  laying  down  in  peace  the  arms 
assumed  for  public  defence,  by  forming  an 
Institution  which  recognizes  that  sacred  and 
most  important  principle,  and  to  effectuate 
those  substantial  acts  of  Beneficence  dictated 
Dy  the  spirit  of  brotherly  kindness  towards 

^  This  form,  though  not  concurred  in,  constitutes  a  very  interesting 
portion  of  the  history  of  the  Cincinnati;  and  is  now  probably  for  the  first 
time  communicated  to  the  public.  The  side  notes  refer  to  the  action  taken 
on  its  difierent  clauses^  as  will  more  fully  appear  in  the  ensuing  text. 


88 


JOURNAL  OF 


those  officers  and  their  families,  who  unfor- 
tunately may  be  under  the  necessity  of 
receiving  them : 

The  Officers  of  the  American  army  do 
hereby  in  the  most  solemn  manner  associate, 
constitute,  and  combine  themselves  into  one 
Society  of  Friends  —  who,  having  generally 
been  taken  from  the  citizens  of  America, 
and  holding  in  high  veneration  the  character 
of  that  illustrious  Eoman,  Lucius  Quintius 
Cincinnatus,  whose  example  they  follow  by 
returning  to  their  citizenship,  think  they 
may  with  propriety  denominate  themselves 
—  The  Society  of  the  Cincinnati. 

Recommitted.  2nd,' — The  Society  shall  be  governed 
by  the  following  rules  and  obligations. 

Recommitted.  c>rd.  —  All  the  Commissioned  Officers  of 
the  Continental  Army  and  Navy,  as  well 
those  who  have  resigned  mth  honour  after 
three  years  service  in  the  capacity  of  Offi- 
cers, or  who  have  been  deranged  by  the 
resolutions  of  Congress  upon  the  several 
reforms  of  the  Army,  as  those  who  shall 
have  continued  to  the  end  of  the  War, 
have  the  right  to  become  parties  to  this 
Institution;  provided  that  they  subscribe 
one  month's  pay,  and  sign  their  names  to 
the  general  rules  in  their  respective  State 
Societies  on  or  before  the  fourth  day  of 
July,  1784  —  extraordinary  cases  excepted. 


THE  CINCINNATI. 


89 


The  rank,  time  of  service,  resolutions  of 
Congress  by  which  any  have  been  deranged, 
and  places  of  residence,  must  be  added  to 
each  name, 

4:th,  —  Those  Officers  who  are  foreigners,  Recommitted, 
not  resident  in  any  of  the  States,  will  have 
their  names  enrolled  by  the  Secretary- 
General,  and  are  to  be  considered  as  mem- 
bers in  the  Societies  of  any  State  in  which 
they  may  happen  to  be.  . 

— ■  The  General  Society  will  for  the  Recommitted. 
sake  of  frequent  communications  be  divided 
into  State  Societies,  and  those  again  into 
such  districts  as  shall  be  directed  by  the 
State  Society. 

^th,- — The  Societies  of  the  districts  to  Recommitted, 
meet  as  often  as  shall  be  agreed  upon  by 
the  State  Society ;  those  of  the  States  annu- 
ally on  such  days  and  at  such  places  as 
they  shall  find  expedient ;  and  the  General 
Society  on  the  first  Monday  in  May,  annu- 
ally, so  long  as  they  shall  deem  necessary, 
and  afterwards  at  least  once  in  every  three 
years. 

7^//.  — The  State  Societies  will  consist 
of  all  the  members  residing  in  each  State 
respectively,  and  any  member  removing 
from  one  State  to  another,  is  to  be  considered 
in  all  respects  as  belonging  to  the  Society 
of  the  State  in  which  he  shall  actually  reside. 


'90 


JOURNAL  OF 


^tli.  —  The  State  Societies  to  have  a  Presi- 
dent, Vice-President,  Secretary,  Treasurer, 
and  Assistant  Treasurer,  to  be  chosen  annu- 
ally by  a  majority  of  votes  at  the  State 
Meeting. 

Recomm  itted,  9  th. — The  Meeting  of  the  General  Society 
shall  consist  of  its  Officers,  and  a  represen- 
tation from  each  State  Society,  in  number 
not  exceeding  five,  whose  expenses  shall  be 
borne  by  their  respective  State  Societies. 

Recommitted.  10th.  —  In  the  General  Meeting,  the 
President,  Vice-President,  Secretary,  and 
Assistant-Secretary,  shall  be  chosen  to  serve 
until  the  next  Meeting. 

Recommitted.  11th. — -Each  State  Meeting  shall  write 
annually,  or  oftener  if  necessary,  a  Circular 
Letter  to  the  other  State  Societies,  noting 
whatever  they  may  think  worthy  of  obser- 
vation respecting  the  good  of  the  Society, 
and  giving  information  of  the  Officers  chosen 
for  the  current  year.  Copies  of  these  letters 
shall  be  regularly  transmitted  to  the  Secre- 
tary-General of  the  Society,  who  will  record 
them  in  a  book  to  be  assigned  for  that 
purpose. 

12th.  —  Each  State  Society  will  regulate 
every  thing  respecting  itself  and  the  Socie- 
ties of  the  districts,  consistent  with  the 
general  Maxims  of  the  Cincinnati — judge 
of  the  qualifications  of  the  members  who 


THE    C  I  X  C  I  X  N  A  T  I . 


91 


may  be  proposed,  and  expel  any  member, 
who.  by  a  conduct  inconsistent  with  a 
Gentleman  and  a  Man  of  Honour^  or  by 
an  opposition  to  the  interest  of  the  Com- 
ma nity  in  general;  or  the  Society  in  par- 
ticular^  may  render  himself  unworthy  to 
continue  a  Member. 

13/A.  —  Each  State  Society  shall  obtain  Recommitted. 
a  list  of  its  members,  and  at  the  next 
annual  meeting,  the  State  Secretary  shall 
have  engrossed  on  parchment  two  copies 
of  the  institution  of  the  Society,  which 
every  member  present  shall  sign,  and  the 
Secretary  shall  endeavour  to  procure  the 
signature  of  every  absent  member ;  one  of 
those  lists  to  be  transmitted  to  the  Secretary- 
General,  to  be  kept  in  the  Archives  of  the 
Society ;  and  the  other  to  remain  in  the 
hands  of  the  State  Secretary.  '    .-.  ; 

14//^ — From  the  State  Lists  the  Secretary-  Recommitted. 
General  shall  make  out,  at  the  first  General 
Meeting,  a  complete  list  of  the  whole  So- 
ciety, with  a  cop3^  of  which  he  will  furnish 
each  State  Secretary, 

loth. — -The  Circular  Letters  which  have  Recommitted. 
been  written  by  the  respective  State  So- 
cieties to  each  other,  and  the  particular 
laws,  shall  be  read  and  considered,  and  all 
measures  concerted  which  may  conduce  to 
the  benevolent  principles  of  the  Society. 


92: 


JOURNAL  OF 


16//;.— In  order  to  form  sufficient  funds 
to  assist  tlie  unfortunate,  each  Officer  shall 
deliver  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  State  So- 
ciety one  month's  pay,  which  shall  remain 
for  the  use  of  the  State  Society ;  the  inte- 
rest only,  if  necessary,  to  be  appropriated 
to  the  relief  of  the  unfortunate. 

Recommitted.  17?^/^.— Donations  may  be  received  from 
members  of  the  Society  or  others,  for  the 
express  purpose  of  forming  funds  for  the 
uses  aforesaid :  the  interest  of  these  dona- 
tions to  be  appropriated  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  that  of  the  month's  pay.  Also 
monies,  at  the  pleasure  of  each  member, 
may  be  subscribed  in  the  Societies  of  the 
districts,  or  the  State  Societies;  the  whole 
whereof  may  be  applied  by  the  State  So- 
ciety for  the  relief  of  the  unfortunate 
members,  or  their  widows  and  orphans. 

Recommitted.  And  in  order  that  there  shall  be 

at  all  times  a  sufficient  number  of  persons 
in  the  Society  to  take  care  of  and  manage 
the  funds  raised  as  aforesaid,  each  member 
shall  have  liberty  to  dispose  of  by  deed  or 
will,  to  take  effect  after  his  decease,  his 
right  or  share  in  the  said  funds,  which  per- 
sons so  appointed  shall  have  authority  to  act 
in  managing  and  applying  the  interest  of 
the  funds  agreeably  to  the  principles  of  the 
Institution. 


THE  CINCINNATI. 


93 


And  in  case  any  member  should  die 
without  having  disposed  of  his  right  in 
the  said  funds^  the  State  Society  of  which 
he  was  a  member  shall  have  power  to  elect 
a  fit  person  in  his  place  for  the  manage- 
ment thereof^  untill  charters  can  be  obtained 
from  Legislative  authority  for  more  effect- 
ively carrying  into  execution  the  humane 
intentions  of  the  Society. 

19^7^.— The  Secretary  and  Treasurer  of  Recommitted, 
the  State  Societies  shall  once  in  every  year 
request  permission  of  the  Legislature  of  the 
State  to  which  they  severally  belong,  to  lay 
before  the  same  their  books  containing  the 
proceedings  of  the  said  Societies,  together 
with  accounts  of  their  funds  and  applica- 
tion thereof,  and  upon  obtaining  such  per- 
mission, shall  lay  the  said  books  and  ac- 
counts before  the  Legislature  accordingly. 

2O//1.— The  Society  shall  have  an  Order,  Recommitted. 
which  shall  be  a  Bald  Eagle  of  Gold,  bear- 
ing on  its  breast  the  Emblems  hereafter 
described,  and  suspended  by  a  deep  blue 
ribbon  edged  with  white,  descriptive  of  the 
Union  of  America  and  France. 

21<s^,— The  principal  figure,  Cincinnatus; 
three  Senators  presenting  him  with  a  sword 
and  other  military  ensigns.  On  a  field  in 
the  background,  his  wife  standing  at  the 
door  of  their  cottage  — near  it,  a  plough 


94 


JOURNAL  OF 


and  instruments  of  husbandry.  Round  the 
whole — ■  Omnia  Relinqidt  servare  Rempub- 
licam} 

On  the  reverse  : — Sun  rising :  a  city  with 
open  gates,  and  vessels  entering  the  port. 
Fame  crowning  Cincinnatus  with  a  wreath, 
inscribed —  Virtutis  Prwmiiim.  Below,  Hands 
joining,  supporting  a  Heart,  with  the  motto 
— Esto  perpetua.  Round  the  whole  — 
Societas  Cincinnatorum  mstituta,  A.  D. 
1783. 

Recommitted.       22cZ.  —  A  Silver  Medal,  representing  the 
emblems  to  be  given  to  each  member  of  the 
,  Society,  together  with  a  diploma  on  parch- 

ment, whereon  shall  be  impressed  the 
figures  of  the  Order  and  Medal  as  above 
mentioned. 

Recommitted.  23c?. — The  Society,  deeply  impressed  with 
a  sense  of  the  generous  assistance  this  coun- 
try has  received  from  France,  and  desirous 
of  perpetuating  the  friendships  wdiich  Piave 
been  formed  and  so  happily  subsisted  be- 
tween the  Officers  of  the  Allied  Forces  in 

'  See  North  American  Review,  vol.  77,  p.  288.  The  cost  of  the  eagles, 
I  believe,  was  twenty  dollars  each  :  they  could  not  now  be  furnished  at  near 
that  rate.  It  may  be  noted  here  that  in  the  legend  prescribed  by  the  In- 
stitution of  1783,  as  given  in  the  recent  publications  of  the  Society  (and 
indeed  in  the  oldest  printed  copy  of  the  Institution  that  I  have  seen,  viz : 
New  York:  printed  by  Samuel  Loudon,  1784,  it  is  the  same),  the  word 
reVquit  is  used.  On  the  eagle,  the  diploma,  and  in  all  their  later  proceed- 
ings, relinquit  is  substituted.  The  occasion  of  this  change  is  not  known 
to  me.    As  for  the  silver  medal,  it  was  probably  never  executed. 


THE    C  I  X  C I X  X  A  T  I . 


95 


the  prosecution  of  the  AYar,  having  directed 
that  the  President-General  should  transmit 
the  Order  of  the  Society  to  each  of  the 
characters  hereafter  named,  viz  : 

His  Excellency  the  Chevalier  de  la  Lu- 
zerne, Minister  Plenipotentiary;^ 

His  Excellency  the  Sieur  Gerard,  late 
Minister  Plenipotentiary;^ 

Their  Excellencies  the  Count  d'Estaing;^ 
the  Count  de  Grasse ;  ^  Count  de  Barras ;  ^ 
the  Chevalier  des  Touches;  and  Admirals 
and  Commanders  in  the  Navy; 

His  Excellency  the  Count  de  Rocham- 


'  Anne-Cesar,  Chevalier  de  la  Luzerne,  bad  been  a  major-general  and 
colonel  of  the  grenadiers  of  France ;  but  bis  later  years  were  given  to 
diplomacy.  From  1779  to  1783  be  was  minister  to  the  Congress,  by  whom 
be  was  much  esteemed.    He  died  in  1791. 

^  Tbrougb  the  intervention  of  tbe  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  a 
splendid  original  full-length  portrait  of  Gerard  now  adorns  tbe  Independ- 
dence  Hall,  Philadelphia. 

^  Charles-Hector,  Comte  d'Estaing,  born  in  1729,  entered  the  army  at 
an  early  age,  and  served  under  Lally  in  India.  Being  taken  prisoner  at 
Madras  in  1759,  be  broke  his  parole;  for  whicb  cause  the  English,  on  his 
recapture,  kept  him  in  close  confinement.  This  is  said  to  bave  embittered 
him  against  that  nation  for  the  rest  of  bis  life.  In  1763  he  received  a 
naval  grade,  acd  in  1778  was  sent  with  a  squadron  to  America,  where  he 
was  engaged  in  many  important  actions.  His  conduct  in  the  domestic 
troubles  of  France  was  not  satisfactory  to  either  party.  He  became  a 
patriot  on  calculation,  says  his  biographer,  without  ceasing  to  be  a  courtier 
from  habit.  Yet,  though  a  witness  against  tbe  Queen  on  her  trial,  his  own 
bead  was  not  preserved.  He  was  sentenced  to  the  guillotine,  April  28, 
1794.    In  1792  he  bad  been  appointed  admiral  by  the  Kepublic. 

In  1849,  Louis  A.  Depau  succeeded  his  grandfather,  the  Comte  de 
G-rasse,  in  tbe  Cincinnati  of  New  York. 

^  Louis,  Comte  de  Barras,  lieut.-gen.  in  the  French  navy. 


96 


JOURNAL  OF 


beau/  Commander-in-Chief,  and  the  Gene- 
rals and  Colonels  in  his  Army;  — 

Do  now  further  direct  that  the  President- 
General  also  transmit  the  Order  as  soon  as 
may  be  to  his  Excellency  the  Marquis  de 
Yaudreuil,"  and  acquaint  him  that  the  So- 
ciety do  themselves  the  honour  to  consider 
him  as  a  Member. 

Monday  morning,  nine  o'clock:  10th  of  May,  1784.^ 
Met  according  to  adjournment.  The  order  of  the  day 
being  moved  for,  the  Society  resolved  itself  into  a  Com- 
mittee of  the  Whole,  General  Smallwood  in  the  chair. 
The  Institution  of  the  Cincinnati  as  revised  and  amended 
was  read  generally,  and  by  paragraphs  particularly,  that 
it  might  be  debated  on  and  more  fully  considered  in  every 
possible  point  of  view. 

'  Jean-Baptiste  Donatien  de  Yimeur,  Comte  de  Rocbambeau,  after  many 
years  of  military  life  and  a  narrow  escape  from  tbe  guillotine  of  Robes- 
pierre, survived  to  receive  tbe  compliments  of  Napoleon.  ^'General" — 
said  the  latter,  pointing  to  Bertbier  and  otber  officers  wbo  had  served  under 
Rocbambeau  in  America — ''General,  voila  vos  eleves."  "  Les  eleves  ont 
bien  surpasse  leur  maitre/'  politely  replied  tbe  Count.  He  died  in  1807, 
in  bis  82d  year. 

2  Louis-Philippe  de  Rigaud,  Marquis  de  Vaudreuil  (h.  1723 ;  d.  1802) 
was  son  of  the  well-known  Governor  of  Canada.  He  entered  the  navy  at 
an  early  age,  and  commanded  tbe  Aretbusa  in  tbe  action  so  famous  in 
British  song.  In  our  Revolutionary  War,  be  was  engaged  in  tbe  chief 
naval  battles  in  tbe  West  Indies.  In  tbe  French  Revolution,  he  was  a 
decided  loyalist. 

^  On  this  day  the  peace  between  England  and  America  was  officially 
proclaimed,  with  appropriate  illuminations,  etc.,  at  Philadelphia,  by  tbe 
public  authorities. 


THE  CINCINNATI. 


97 


The  sentiments  of  the  majority  of  the  Meeting  appeared 
opposed  to  the  Institution  in  its  present  alterations. 

The  President-General  most  expressly  declared  against 
it :  —  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  the  18th  paragraph  would 
be  construed  as  intentional  in  us  to  make  the  Order  here- 
ditary; and  only  an  alteration  of  the  terms,  but  in  fact 
expressing  the  same  designs  as  held  forth  in  the  original 
Institution.  He  warmly  and  in  plain  language  or  by  im- 
plication seemed  desirous  to  expunge  all  the  essentials 
with  which  the  Society  was  endowed  by  those  from  whom 
it  had  its  origin.^ 

Resolved;  to  take  the  sense  of  the  General  Committee 
of  the  Meeting  on  the  several  paragraphs  of  the  Institu- 
tion as  revised;  altered,  and  amended,  in  their  order. 

Upon  reading  them,  it  is  resolved  to  recommit  all  but 
the  1st,  7th,  8th,  12th,  and  16th  paragraphs. 

The  President  resumed  his  seat,  and  the  Chairman 
reported  accordingly.  The  Eeport  accepted  by  the  Meet- 
ing, and  'tis  resolved  that  the  Committee  for  altering  and 
amending  the  Institution  be  excused  further  proceedings 
thereon.  Resolved,  also,  that  a  Committee  of  Five  be 
appointed,  to  take  into  consideration  the  Institution  and 
proposed  amendments,  and  make  such  alterations  as  they 
may  deem  proper;  of  which  they  are  to  report  to  this 
Meeting  as  soon  as  may  be.  Elected  for  this  Committee ; 
Governor  Dickinson,  General  Knox,  General  Williams, 
Col.  Lee  and  Col.  Smith. ^ . 

^  The  plan  agreed  upon  on  the  Hudson,  in  May,  1788,  and  which  still 
governs  the  Society,  is  here  indicated. 

^  It  seems  evident  that  though  the  influence  of  Washington  was  very 

7 


98 


JOURNAL  OF 


Laid  before  the  Meeting  and  read,  a  letter  from  Gen. 
Armand^  and  other  French  officers  (Major  L'Enfant^  par- 
ticularly, requesting  a  representation  in  this  General  Meet- 
ing or  Society.  Kesolved,  that  the  consideration  thereof 
be  referred  to  the  Committee  for  attending  to  Foreign  and 
other  Letters  and  Papers  addressed  to  this  Meeting.  Ad- 
journed till  to-morrow  morning,  twelve  o'clock. 

Tuesday,  12  o'clock.  The  Society  met,  according  to 
adjournment,  and  went  into  the  reading  of  letters  and 
papers  before  them. 

The  Committee  for  the  translating  of  the  French  and 
arranging  all  the  papers,  report  that  they  have  completed 

strongly  felt  in  this  General  Meeting,  a  coramittee  of  one  from  each  State 
formed  a  body  too  large  to  be  swayed  throughout  by  his  wishes.  A  smaller 
committee  was  therefore  substituted,  of  whose  members  Knox  and  Lee, 
and  perhaps  Williams,  held  confidential  relations  with  the  chief;  while 
Dickinson's  views  are  known  to  have  coincided  with  his  own.  It  is  pro- 
bable also,  from  his  connections,  that  Smith  was  not  averse  to  the  proposed 
change. 

'  Armand  Tufin,  Marquis  de  la  Rouerie,  and  a  brigadier  in  the  American 
army ;  died  1791.    His  portrait  is  in  the  Hall  of  the  Hist.  Soc.  of  Pa. 

^  Of  this  officer,  who  took  such  an  efficient  interest  in  the  formation  of 
the  Cincinnati,  and  who  was  employed  to  procure  in  Europe  the  proper 
decorations  for  the  members,  I  find  the  following  notice  in  a  very  valuable 
MS.  volume  of  extracts  from  the  French  Archives,  procured  at  Paris  by 
the  Hon.  Richard  Rush,  and  presented  by  the  Hon.  Wm.  B.  Reed  to  the 
Hist.  Soc.  of  Penna. ;  which  gives  the  IJfafs  de  Services  of  most  of  the 
officers  of  the  French  army  who  were  employed  in  America  : — "  L'Enfant, 
capitaine  au  service  des  Etats  Units  depuis  1778.  Etait  lieutenant  dans 
les  troupes  des  colonies  lorsqu'il  a  passe  en  1777  au  service  americain. 
Etait  au  siege  de  Savannah,  ou  il  ete  blesse,  et  est  reste  sur  le  champ  de 
bataille.  II  a  servi  depuis  dans  Tarmee  du  General  Washington.  On  en 
fait  beaucoup  de  cas,  a  aussi  que  le  S'r.  de  Villefranche  consomme  sa  for- 
tune au  service  des  fitats  Unis.  Obtient  un  pension  de  500,  et  sera  pre- 
sente  pour  une  compagnie  dans  les  troupes  provinciales.^' 


THE    C  I  X  C  I  X  X  A  T  I . 


99 


their  business,  and  beg  leave  to  lay  before  the  Meeting 
sundry  letters. 

The  Committee  for  altering  certain  matters  and  things 
in  the  Institution,  report  that  they  have  made  consider- 
able progress  in  the  business  —  shall  be  able  to  make  a 
final  report  by  to-morrow  morning,  and  beg  leave  to  sit 
till  that  time. 

-  Finished  reading  all  the  letters  and  papers  addressed  to 
the  meeting;  and  resolved  that  they  shall  lay  on  the  table 
until  the  final  report  of  the  Committee  for  altering  and 
amendino:  certain  matters  and  thinsrs  in  the  Institution  be 
made.    Adjourned  till  to-morrow  morning,  10  o'clock. 

Wednesday  morning,  10  o'clock  ;  12th  of  May.  Met 
agreeable  to  adjournment. 

The  Committee  of  Five  appointed  to  alter  and  amend 
certain  Matters  and  Things  in  the  Institution  of  the  So- 
ciety of  the  Cincinnati,  report :  — ■  that  they  have  finished 
that  business;  and  lay  their  proceedings  before  the  Meet- 
ing. A  copy  of  the  Institution  as  revised,  altered,  and 
amended,  is  in  page  — ,  immediately  succeeding  the  Alte- 
rations and  ximendments  as  proposed  by  the  Committee 
from  the  several  States.^ 

^  For  the  convenience  of  the  reader,  the  Form  of  Institution  as  proposed 
by  the  Committee  of  Five,  is  placed  by  the  editor  immediately  after  the 
paragraph  to  which  this  note  refers.  That  of  the  Committee  from  the 
several  States  has  already  been  given  in  the  text.  The  side-notes  to  either 
Form  indicate  the  corrections  or  amendments  which  particular  paragraphs 
as  reported,  encountered  in  the  General  Meeting,  The  Form  as  here  given 
differs  from  that  printed  by  the  Society  in  the  articles  expunged  on  debate, 
as  well  as  in  some  minor  matters  of  phraseology  and  arrangement;  inso- 
much as  it  was  referred  on  the  13th  of  May  to  a  committee  for  critical 
correction  and  engrossment :  (^vitle  posf.^ 


100 


JOURNAL  OF 


The  form  of  Institution  rejported  hy  the  Committee  of  Five. 

1st,  —  It  having  pleased  the  Supreme 
Governor  of  the  Universe  to  give  success 
to  the  arms  of  our  Country,  and  to  estabUsh 
the  United  States  free  and  independent  — 
Therefore,  gratefully  to  commemorate  this 
event ;  to  inculcate  to  the  latest  ages  the 
duty  of  laying  down  in  peace  arms  assumed 
for  public  defence,  by  forming  an  Institu- 
tion which  recognizes  that  most  important 
principle ;  to  continue  the  mutual  friend- 
ships w^hich  commenced  under  the  pressure 
of  common  danger;  and  to  effectuate  the 
acts  of  beneficence  dictated  by  the  spirit 
of  brotherly  kindness  towards  those  Officers 
and  their  families  who  unfortunately  may 
be  under  the  necessity  of  receiving  them. 
The  Officers  of  the  American  Army  do 
hereb}^  constitute  themselves  into  a  Society 
of  Friends ;  and  professing  the  highest  vene- 
ration for  the  character  of  that  illustrious 
Roman,  Lucius  Quintius  Cincinnatus,  de- 
nominate themselves  the  Society  of  the 
Cincinnati. 

■■'-^  Ind.  —  The  persons  who  constitute  this 
Society  are  all  the  commissioned  and  brevet 
officers  of  the  Army  and  Navy  of  the  United 
States  who  have  served  three  years,  and 
w^ho  left  the  service  with  reputation. 


THE    CIXCIXXATI.  101 

All  such  Officers  who  were  in  actual  omcers^iao^^.eieen 

derangea  by  the  several 

service  at  the  conclusion  of  the  War;  and  upon^TeTeverai^^^^^ 

all  the  principal  staff-officers  of  the  Con- 

tinental  Army. 

There  are  also  admitted  into  this  Society 

the  late  and  present  Ministers  of  His  Most 

Christian  Majesty  to  the  United  States; 

all  the  Generals  and  Colonels  of  Ees^iments 

I— 

and  Legions  of  the  Land  Forces ;  and  all 
the  Admirals  and  Captains  of  the  Navy 
ranking  as  Colonels,  who  have  cooperated 
with  the  Armies  of  the  Lhiited  States  in 
their  exertions  for  Libertv ;  and  such  other 
persons  as  have  been  admitted  by  theii 
respective  State  Meetings. 

Srd. — The  Society  shall  have  a  President^ 
Vice-President;  Secretary^  and  Assistant 
Secretary.  There  shall  be  a  Meeting  of 
the  Society,  at  least  once  in  three  years, 
on  the  first  Monday  in  May.  at  such  phace 
as  the  President  shall  appoini.  The  said 
Meeting  shall  consist  of  the  aforesaid  Offi- 
cers, whose  expenses  shall  be  equally  borne 
by  the  State  Funds,  and  a  representation 
from  each  State  Society.  The  business  of 
this  General  Meeting  shall  be  to  regulate 
the  distribution  of  surplus  funds  ;  to  appoint 
Officers  for  the  ensuing  term;  and  to  con- 
form the  laws  of  State  Meetings  to  the 
general  objects  of  the  Institution. 


102 


JOURNAL  OF 


And  the  several  State 
Meetings  shall,  at  suit^ 
able  periods,  make  appli- 
cations to  their  respective 
Legislatures  for  the  grant 
of  Charters. 


AtJi.  — The  Society  shall  be  divided  into 
State  Meetings^  and  each  Meeting  shall 
have  a  President^  Vice-President,  Secretary 
and  Treasurer  respectively;  to  be  chosen 
by  a  majority  of  votes  annually.  The 
State  Meetings  shall  be  on  the  Anniversary 
of  Independence.  They  shall  concert  such 
measures  as  may  conduce  to  the  benevolent 
purposes  of  the  Society. 

^th.  —  Any  member  removing  from  one 
State  to  another,  is  to  be  considered,  in  all 
respects,  as  belonging  to  the  Meeting  of 
the  State,  in  which  he  shall  actually  reside. 

Qih.  —  II  No  honorary  members  shall  here- 
after be  admitted  but  upon  election  by  the 
State  Meetings,  with  permission  of  the 
Expunged.  Government  of  the  State  in  which  the 
Meeting  is  held,  nor  shall  any  member  be 
elected  but  by  the  meeting  of  the  State  in 
which  he  actually  resides.  || 

7th.  —  The  State  Meeting  shall  judge  of 
the  qualifications  of  its  members,  and  ad- 
monish, or  if  necessary,  expel  any  one  who 
may  conduct  himself  unworthily. 

Sth.  —  The  Secretary  of  each  State  Meet- 
ing shall  register  the  names  of  the  members 
resident  in  each  State,  and  transmit  a  copy 
thereof  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Society. 

9th.  —  In  order  to  form  funds  for  the 
relief  of  unfortunate  members,  their  widows 


THE  CIKCINNATI. 


103 


and  oq^lians,  each  officer  shall  deliver  to 

the  Treasurer  of  the  State  Meeting  one 

month's  pay.    |1  And  donations   may  be 

received  from  members  and  others :  the 

interest  of  the  j)ay  and  donations,  if  neces-  Expunged. 

sary,  to  be  applied  to  the  purposes  before 

mentioned.  || 

lOtli. — No  donations  shall  be  received 
but  from  citizens  of  the  United  States. 

Utli.  —  The  funds  of  each  State  Meeting 
shall  be  loaned  to  the  State,  by  permission 
of  the  Legislature,  and  the  interest  only, 
annually,  to  be  applied  for  the  purposes  of 
the  Society  :  and  if  in  process  of  time,  diffi- 
culties should  occur  in  executing  the  inten- 
tions of  the  Society,  the  Legislatures  of  the 
respective  States  be  requested  to  make  such 
equitable  dispositions  as  may  be  most  cor- 
respondent with  the  original  design  of  the 
Institution. 

12th.  —  The  subjects  of  His  Most  Chris- 
tian Majesty,  members  of  this  Society,  may 
hold  meetings  at  their  pleasure,  and  may 
form  regulations  for  their  police,  conform- 
able to  the  objects  of  the  Listitution,  and 
to  the  spirit  of  their  Government. 

IWi.  —  The  Society  shall  have  an  Order, 
which  shall  be  a  Bald  Eagle  of  gold,  &c., 
and  as  expressed  in  the  original  Institution, 
and  in  the  Plan  of  Amendment  proposed 


104 


JOURNAL  OF 


by  the  Committee  of  the  States  for  revising 
the  Institution,  which  is  annexed  to  these 
Papers  in  its  order. 

Upon  this  Keport  of  the  Committee  and  the  reading  of 
the  Institution,  the  Meeting  resolved  itself  into  a  Com- 
mittee of  the  Whole  —  Gen.  Wheedon  in  the  chair  — and 
with  freedom  debated  the  paragraphs  as  they  were  seve- 
rally and  repeatedly  read.  A  considerable  majority  con- 
curred in  the  1st,  4th,  5th,  7th,  8th,  9th,  10th,  11th,  12th, 
13th,  14th,  and  15th :  — determined  to  postpone  the  con- 
sideration of  the  2d:  —  the  3d  and  6th  to  be  recommitted 
to  the  Committee  of  Five.  The  Committee  rising,  report 
accordingly  to  the  President,  who  resumed  his  seat.  This 
Meeting  resolves  to  take  up  the  Eeport  of  the  General 
Committee  to-morrow  morning  at  nine  o'clock;  to  which 
time  it  stands  adjourned. 

Thursday,  the  13th  of  May.  Met  according  to  adjourn- 
ment, and  the  order  of  the  day  being  called,  the  Meeting 
proceeded  to  the  consideration  of  the  Institution  of  the 
Society  of  Cincinnati  as  altered  and  amended,  by  Para- 
graphs severally.  —  Confirmed  the  1st;  made  the  altera- 
tions in  the  2d  Paragraph  as  annexed  in  their  order  on 
page  — ,  agreeable  to  the  reference. 

^^g=^  The  Opinion  of  the  Meeting  was  taken  in  regard 
to  the  admission  of  officers  of  any  individual  State  to  be 
parties  to  the  Institution  of  the  Cincinnati,  who  had  served 
in  time  and  manner  proposed :  and  in  the  affirmative, 
notwithstanding  that  part  of  the  1st  clause  of  the  2d 
Paragraph  which  appears  to  limit  the  right  to  officers  of 
the  Army  and  Navy  of  the  United  States  collectively. 


THE    C  I  X  C I  X  X  A  T  I . 


105 


The  ocl  Paragraph  was  confirmed:  —  the  4th  also,  with 
the  addition  as  on  page  — ;  the  oth  approved  without  any 
alteration;  the  6th  expunged;  the  7th.  Sth.  9th.  10th, 
11th,  12th,  13th;  — all  assented  to. 

Resolved  that  the  Institution  be  styled  —  The  Institu- 
tion of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  as  altered  and 
amended  by  the  General  Meeting  held  at  Philadelphia,  &c. 

Eesolved,  that  a  Committee  of  Three  be  appointed  to 
prepare  a  Circular  Letter  to  the  several  State  Societies 
with  the  Institution  as  now  amended,  setting  forth  the 
reasons  which  induced  this  Meeting  to  make  the  altera- 
tions;— Governor  Dickinson,  Colonels  Lee  and  Humphreys 
the  Committee.  The  Institution  is  referred  to  the  above 
Committee  for  critical  correction  and  enoTossment. 

Eesolved,  that  all  the  letters  and  papers  addressed  to 
this  Meeting,  be  referred  to  a  Committee  of  Three  to 
report  thereon  ;  —  Gen.  Knox^  Col.  Smith,  and  Gen.  Wil- 
liams, appointed. 

.  The  thirteen  States  concurred  in  the  Institution,  as 
altered,  &c.,  except  New  York,  divided:  —  Smith,  for; 
Fairlie.  against;  Cortland,  absent. 

Adjourned  till  12  o'clock  to-morrow. 

Convened  according  to  adjournment,  Friday,  14th  of 
May,  The  Committee  who  were  appointed  to  prepare 
the  draft  of  a  Circular  Letter,  &c.,  &c..  &c.,  report  that 
they  have  made  some  progress  in  their  business,  and  hope 
to  be  able  to  make  a  final  report  by  to-morrow  morning, 
and  ask  leave  to  sit  again. 

Resolved,  that  this  meeting  will  to-morrow  ballot  for 
Ofiicers  to  the  General  Society  of  the  Cincinnati. 


106 


JOURNAL  OF 


The  Committee  appointed  to  take  into  consideration  the 
Papers  and  Letters  addressed  to  this  Society  report  that 
there  are  some  from  France  and  one  from  Gen.  Armand 
that  require  answers;  and  others  that  ought  to  be  referred 
to  the  Society  in  France.  Kesolved,  that  a  Committee  of 
Three  be  appointed  to  prepare  answers; — Gens.  Knox  and 
"Wilhams,  and  Col.  Smith.  Eesolved,  that  this  Committee 
be  authorized  to  confer  with  Major  L'Enfant  on  pecuniary 
and  other  matters,  and  act  thereon/ 

Resolved,  that  a  Committee  of  Three  be  appointed  to 
draft  the  form  of  a  diploma  for  the  Members  of  the  Cin- 
cinnati :  Major  Turner,  Captains  Dayton  and  Fairlie  ap- 
pointed.   Adjourned  till  to-morrow  morning,  11  o'clock. 

Saturday,  15th  of  May.  Met  agreeably  to  adjournment. 
The  Committee  for  preparing  drafts  of  letters  reported  and 
laid  on  the  table  a  draft  of  a  letter  to  Baron  Viomenil^ 

^  In  a  letter  to  the  New  York  Society,  read  at  its  meeting  on  July  4th, 
1786,  Major  L'Enfant  refers  to  his  correspondence  with  this  General 
Meeting  of  1784.  Its  subject  seems  at  least  in  part  to  have  had  relation 
to  the  proceedings  of  the  Cincinnati  of  France,  at  the  meeting  at  Paris, 
March  10th,  1784,  and  the  pretensions  of  unqualified  foreigners.  See 
Extract  from  the  Proceedings  of  the  New  York  State  Society,  etc.  (New 
York,  1786),  p.  17. 

2  Antoine-Charles  du  Houx,  Baron  de  Yiomenil,  was  next  in  command 
under  Rochambeau.  His  life  was  passed  in  the  profession  of  arms,  in  which 
he  was  constantly  distinguished.  He  died  Nov.  9,  1792,  of  wounds  re- 
ceived in  the  defence  of  the  Tuileries  on  Aug.  10,  1792. 

I  have  seen  it  stated  that  when  the  terms  of  capitulation  of  Yorktown 
were  in  consideration,  and  the  contents  of  the  British  military  chest  were 
made  known,  the  French  Commissioner,  considering  that  the  amount 
was  small,  and  that  in  all  likelihood  Lord  Cornwallis  would  stand  in 
need  of  the  money  for  the  personal  accommodation  of  his  troops  and  him- 
self, volunteered  the  suggestion  that  the  point  should  not  be  raised,  and 
that  the  treasure,  such  as  it  was,  should  be  left  at  the  Earl's  disposal.  To 


THE  CINCINNATI. 


107 


and  one  to  Brigadier-General  Arm  and.  They  also  reported 
that  they  had  received  and  examined  Major  L'Enfant's 
Account  for  his  agency  in  France,  which  was  laid  on  the 
table. 

On  motion  resolved,  that  the  oflficers  of  His  Most  Chris- 
tian Majesty's  Army  and  Navy  who  have  served  in  Ame- 
rica and  who  were  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Colonel,  are 
comprehended  in  the  Institution  of  the  Cincinnati  as 
altered  and  amended. 

The  Committee  on  the  Circular  Letter  and  also  for 
correcting  and  engrossing  the  Institution,  reported  and 
laid  on  the  table  the  draft  of  a  Circular  Letter,  and  also 
the  Institution  as  amended,  fairly  engrossed  and  corrected. 

On  motion, —  the  draft  of  the  Circular  Letter  having 
been  read  paragraph  by  paragraph,  fully  considered,  and 
the  same  unanimously  approved — resolved,  that  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Meeting  be  desired  to  sign  and  forward  a  copy 
of  the  same  to  each  of  the  respective  State  Meetings. 

A  draft  of  a  letter  to  Baron  Viomenil ;  —  a  draft  of  one 
to  Brigadier- General  Bogenville;' — and  one  to  Brigadier- 

this,  however,  Col,  Laurens,  for  the  Americans,  objected  positively.  The 
amount,  he  said,  might  be  trifling  to  a  great  European  State,  but  it  was 
of  importance  to  such  a  government  as  his  own.  Consequently,  the  mili- 
tary chest  was  included  in  the  articles  of  surrender.  Viomenil  afterwards 
earned  the  praise  of  the  Eaglish,  by  pressing  the  use  of  his  purse,  to  the 
extent  of  £2000,  upon  Cornwailis,  who,  in  this  emergency,  might  be  rea- 
sonably supposed  to  have  been  in  a  condition  to  receive  such  a  supply.  It 
happened,  however,  that  the  Earl  had  a  sufficient  sum  with  his  agent  in 
New  York  to  meet  all  his  exigencies. 

'  Louis-Antoine  de  Bougainville,  the  celebrated  voyager,  who  had  been 
A.  D.  C.  to  Montcalm  in  America  during  the  Seven  Years'  War:  h.  1729; 
d.  1814.  He  commanded  a  division  under  De  Grasse,  and  in  1781  was 
opposed  to  Hood  before  Martinique.    In  1782  he  shared  in  several  other 


108 


JOURNAL  OF 


General  Armand  having  been  read  and  approved,  are 
ordered  to  be  transcribed,  signed  and  transmitted  by  the 
President. 

Ordered,  that  a  Committee  of  Two  be  appointed  to 
superintend  the  printing  and  publishing  in  pamphlet  form 
the  Circular  Letter  to  the  State  Societies  with  the  Institu- 
tion as  altered  and  amended  by  this  Meeting :  ■ —  Mr. 
Humphreys  and  Mr.  Turner  chosen.^ 

Ordered,  that  the  same  gentlemen  procure  the  Circular 
Letter  to  be  also  published  in  the  most  public  news- 
papers.^ 

Agreeably  to  the  order  of  the  day,  the  Members  pro- 
ceeded to  ballot  for  the  Officers  of  the  Society  for  the 
ensuing  term  ;  —  w^hen,  the  ballots  being  taken, — 

His  Excellency  General  Washington  was  unanimously 
chosen  President.  General  Gates  w^as  chosen  Vice-Presi- 
dent ;  ^  General  Knox,  Secretary ;  and  General  Williams, 
Assistant  Secretary.  v      .         .  ;  i  ^ 

Adjourned  till  Monday  next,  9  o'clock. 

Monday,  17th  of  May.  Assembled  agreeable  to  adjourn- 
ment.  A  letter  from  General  Gates  was  received  and  read, 

actions ;  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  chef  d'escadre;  and  repassed  to  the 
land  service,  with  the  grade  of  marechal  de  camp. 

'  My  copy  of  this  rare  tract  bears  the  following  title :  "A  Circular  Let- 
ter, addressed  to  the  State  Societies  of  the  Cincinnati,  by  the  General 
Meeting,  convened  at  Philadelphia,  May  3,  1784.  Together  with  the 
Institution,  as  altered  and  amended.  Philadelphia,  Printed  by  E.  Oswald 
and  D.  Humphreys,  at  the  Coffee-House.   M,DCC,LXXXIV."  8vo.  pp.  8. 

^  I  have  looked  over  several  of  the  Philadelphia  papers  from  May  to 
September,  1784,  and  find  no  such  publishment. 

^  Gen.  Gates  held  this  place  till  1787,  when  he  was  replaced  by  Gen. 
Mifflin.  He  seems  to  have  filled  no  other  office  in  either  the  General  or 
the  New  York  Society. 


THE  CINCINNATI. 


109 


signifying  his  grateful  acceptance  of  the  office  of  Vice- 
President  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati. 

On  motion^  resolved:  —  That  Monsieur  D'Tarlie/  Inten- 
dent  and  second  officer  of  the  French  auxiliary  Army;  and 
the  Chevalier  de  la  Meth,^  Colonel  by  brevet ;  —  also  the 
Count  de  Sonnsvielle ;  ^  —  the  Count  la  Touche;^  —  the 
Count  de  Kergasien;^  —  the  Chevalier  Ryguille  ; — the 

'  "  M.  de  Tarle,  aide  Major-Geaeral :  sert  de  1759,  etait  capitaine  dans 
le  regiment  de  Bouillon  :  a  rang  de  lieutenant  colonel  du  2-1  Mars,  1780  ; 
a  servi  avec  distinction  :  est  rempli  de  talens."  (MS.  Fr.  Mil.  Arch.  — 
See  Robin's  Travels,  45.) 

^  "  Chevalier  de  Lameth,  aide  marechal  general,  des  Logis,  capitaine 
reforme  est  dans  le  regiment  Royal  de  Cavalerie.  Age  de  26  ans.  Sous 
lieutenant  du  29  Juillet,  1776.  Rang  de  capitaine  le  6,  9bre,  1779.  II 
a  eu  une  blessure  tres  grave  a  I'attaque  (a  Yorktown)  :  il  est  a  craindre 
qu'il  n'en  reste  estropie ;  est  plein  du  courage,  et  annonce  des  talens  tres 
distingues  ;  est  neveu  de  Monsieur  le  marechal  due  de  Broglie.  II  demande 
une  place  de  Mestre-d-^^-camp  en  second  et  la  croix  de  St.  Louis  en  quittant 
celle  de  Malte.''  (MS.  Fr.  Mil.  Arch.)  ^  "A  ete  fait  aide  marechal 
generale  des  Logis  surnumeraire  au  mois  de  Nov.,  1782.  C'est  un  officier 
distingue:  obtient  une  pension  de  1500."  (lb.) 

^  Probably  M.  de  Siouville,  commanding  His  Most  Christian  Majesty's 
packet-boat,  the  Warwick,"  which  arrived  at  New  York  from  Europe, 
May  3,  1784. 

^  Louis  Rene-Madelene  Levassor  de  la  Touche-Treville,  who  was  capitaine 
de  vaisseau  on  the  Hermione,  which  brought  out  Lafayette  in  1780.  In 
1782,  he  again  came  to  America,  with  3,000,000  francs  for  Congress.  By 
these  means,  and  by  some  spirited  actions  on  the  coast,  his  name  was 
popular  in  this  country.    He  died  an  Admiral  in  1804. 

^  Perhaps  the  same  mentioned  in  MS.  Fr.  Mil.  Arch.  Escadre  de  M. 
d'Estaing;  Savannah.  Etat  Major.  Gautier  de  Kerveguen,  capitaine 
d'infanterie,  aide  marechal  generale  des  logis  des  troupes  de  debarquement. 
Entre  au  service  en  1775  eu  qualite  d'Ingenieur  de  la  Marine.  Passe  a 
St.  Domingue  comme  aide  de  camp  de  M.  d'Estaing,  il  y  a  fait  le  service 
d'Ingenieur  depuis  1764-1766.  Ingenieur  geographe  des  camps  en  1767 
a  ete  envoye  en  Corse  jusqu'en  1769.  Capitaine  d'infanterie  avec 
appointement  en  1769,  a  ete  employe  sur  les  cotes  et  sur  les  frontieres 
jusqu'en  1777.    II  a  fait  toute  la  campagne  de  M.  d'Estaing  et  s'est 


110 


JOURNAL  OF 


Chevalier  da  Quesne ;  ^  —  the  Count  de  Trevalies ;  ^  —  the 
Chevalier  Maulivriers;  —  the  Chevalier  de  Yallonge;  — 
the  Count  de  Capelles ;  and  Captains  and  Commanders  of 
ships  and  frigates  of  the  French  Navy,  who  were  employed 
on  special  service  on  the  coast  of  America,  and  who  are 
mentioned  particularly  by  His  Excellency,  the  Minister  of 
France,  are  entitled  by  the  spirit  and  intention  of  the 
Institution  to  become  Members  of  the  Society. 

On  particular  application  by  letter  from  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  de  Bouchet,^  Resolved :  —  That  'tis  the  opinion  of 
this  General  Meeting  that  Lieutenant-Colonel  de  Bouchet 
is  entitled,  from  his  service,  to  be  a  Member  of  the  Society 
of  the  Cincinnati. 

Several  drafts  of  letters,  viz. :  —  one  to  Chevalier  de  la 
Luzerne ;  one  to  Count  Rochambeau ;  one  to  Count  Barras ; 

trouve  a  toutes  les  affaires  sur  terre  qui  ont  eu  lieu  pendant  les  21  mois  de 
campagne  de  cette  escadre.  II  avait  moute  un  des  premiers  a  I'assaut  du 
Morne  de  Thopital  de  la  Grenade,  il  a  encore  donne  au  siege  de  Savannah 
des  preuves  aussi  utiles  que  multipliees  de  sa  valeur." 

'  The  Chevalier  du  Quesne  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  March  23,  1783,  in 
command  of  the  French  frigate  Triumph,  with  the  proclamation  of  the 
suspension  of  hostilities.  July  4,  1850,  the  Marquis  du  Quesne  was 
admitted  a  member  of  the  New  York  Cincinnati,  in  right  of  the  late 
Marquis  his  father. 

^  Perhaps  M.  de  Trenovay,  Capitaine.  Lieutenant  au  Regiment  de 
Foix  en  Janvier,  1757.  Capitaine  en  Novembre,  1762  :  nomme  major  a 
Savannah  par  de  d'Estaing  a  la  fin  d'Octobre,  1779.''   (MS.  Fr.  Mil.  Arch.) 

^  "Du  Bouchet:  —  aide  Major  General:  sert  de  1770:  capitaine  de  1779. 
Excellent  sujet  qui  a  servi  avec  valeur :  est  plein  d'intelligence."  (MS.  Fr. 
Mil.  Arch.)  Probably  the  Marquis  Denis-Jean-Florimond  Langlois,  who 
joined  the  Americans  in  1776  served  at  Saratoga ;  and  returned  to  France 
in  1783,  well  esteemed  by  both  the  American  and  French  leaders.  He 
received  the  Order  of  the  Cincinnati;  and  in  1788,  was  made  Colonel. 
In  the  Revolution  he  was  a  loyalist  and  an  emigre  ;  he  died  in  1826,  aged 
74,  leaving  a  respectable  literary  reputation.  (Biog.  Univ.) 


THE    C  I  X  C I X  X  A  T  I . 


Ill 


one  to  Count  D'Estaing;  and  one  to  Marquis  Lafayette, 
being  read  and  approved,  Ordered,  that  they  be  transcribed, 
signed,  and  forwarded  by  the  President. 

A.  draft  of  a  letter  to  the  Senior  Land  and  Naval  Officers 
and  others.  Members  of  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  being 
read,  was  approved;  and  is  ordered  to  be  transcribed,  signed, 
and  transmitted  by  the  President. 

From  the  General  Meeting  held  in  Philadelphia  on  the 
first  Monday  in  May,  1784  —  To  the  Senior  Land  and 
Naval  Officers  and  others.  Members  of  the  Society  of  the 
Cincinnati  in  France.^ 

^'  Gextlemex  ; 

We,  the  Delegates  of  the  Cincinnati,  having  judged  it 
expedient  to  make  several  material  alterations  and  amend- 
ments in  our  Institution,  and  having  thought  it  our  duty 
to  communicate  the  reasons  upon  which  we  have  acted,  in 
a  Circular  Address  to  the  State  Societies,  do  now  transmit 
for  your  information  a  transcript  of  that  letter,  together 
with  a  copy  of  the  Institution  as  revised  and  amended. 

Conscious  of  having  done  what  prudence  and  love  of 
country  dictated,  we  are  persuaded  you  will  be  satisfied 
with  the  propriety  of  our  conduct,  when  you  are  informed 
our  decisions  were  influenced  by  a  conviction  that  some 
things  contained  in  our  original  system  might  eventually 
be  productive  of  consequences  which  we  had  not  foreseen, 
as  well  as  by  the  current  of  sentiments  which  appeared  to 
prevail  among  our  fellow-citizens.  Under  these  circum- 
stances, we  viewed  it  as  no  proof  of  magnanimity,  to  per- 


^  In  the  original  3IS.,  this  letter  is  placed  at  the  end  of  the  Journal. 


112 


JOURNAL  OF 


sist  in  any  thing  which  might  possibly  be  erroneous,  or  to 
counteract  the  opinion  of  Communityj  however  founded. 

"  Nor  were  we  displeased  to  find  the  jealous  eye  of 
Patriotism  watching  over  those  liberties  which  had  been 
established  by  our  common  exertions ;  —  especially  as  our 
countrymen  appeared  fully  disposed  to  do  justice  to  our 
intentions,  and  to  apprehend  no  evils  but  such  as  might 
happen  in  process  of  time,  after  we,  in  whom  they  placed 
so  much  confidence,  should  have  quitted  the  stage  of 
human  action  :  —  and  we  flatter  ourselves  w^e  felt  not  less 
interested  in  guarding  against  disastrous  contingencies,  in 
averting  present  or  future  political  evils,  than  the  most 
zealous  of  our  compatriots.  For  us,  then,  it  is  enough  that 
our  benevolent  purposes  of  relieving  the  unfortunate  should 
not  be  frustrated;  —  that  our  Friendships  should  be  as 
immutable  as  they  are  sincere;  —  and  that  you  have 
received  the  tokens  of  them  wdth  such  tender  marks  of 
sensibility.  For  you.  Gentlemen,  let  it  be  sufiicient  that 
your  merits  and  services  are  indelibly  impressed  upon  the 
hearts  of  a  whole  Nation,  and  that  your  names  and  actions 
can  never  be  lost  in  oblivion. 

"  Cherishing  such  sentiments,  and  reciprocating  all  your 
affections,  we  pray  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  believe, 
that  although  nothing  could  have  increased  our  friendship, 
yet  by  your  alacrity  in  associating  with  us  you  have  taken 
the  most  effectual  measures  for  riveting  more  strongly 
those  indissoluble  ties." 

"We  have  the  honour,  &c.,  &c."  ^ 

^  This  letter  must  have  had  a  speedy  passage,  since  on  June  25,  1784, 
we  find  Lafayette  writing  to  John  Adams,  enclosing  him  the  new-modelled 
regulations  of  the  Cincinnati.    My  principles/'  goes  on  the  Marquis, 


THE  CINCINXATI. 


113 


rrThe  Committee  for  preparing  the  form  of  a  diploma, 
reported  and  lay  on  the  table  the  draft  of  a  form,  which 
being  read  and  considered,  was  approved,  and  is  as  follows: 

Be  it  known  that  — •  is  a  Member  of  the  Society 

of  the  Cincinnati ;  instituted  by  the  Officers  of  the  x^merican 
Army,  at  the  Period  of  its  dissolution,  as  well  to  commemo- 
rate  the  great  Event  which  gave  Independence  to  North 
America,  as  for  the  laudable  Purpose  of  inculcating  the 
Duty  of  laying  down  in  Peace  Arms  assumed  for  public 
Defence,  and  of  uniting  in  Acts  of  brotherly  Affection, 
and  Bonds  of  perpetual  Friendship  the  Members  constitu- 
ting the  same. 

In  Testimony  whereof  I,  the  President  of  the  said  So- 
ciety, have  hereunto  set  my  hand  at  -,  in  the  State 

of  ,  this  —  day  of  - —  ,  in  the  Year  of  our  Lord 

One  Thousand  Seven  Hundred  and    and  in  the 

 Year  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States. 

By  order, 

 Secretary.  -■ 

,  =>  President. 


^'  have  ever  been  against  heredity,  and  while  I  was  in  Europe  disputing 
about  it  with  a  few  friends,  my  letters  to  the  assembly,  and  still  more 
particularly  to  the  president,  made  them  sensible  of  my  opinion  upon  that 
matter.  Until  heredity  was  given  up,  I  forebore  mentioning  in  Europe 
what  sense  I  had  expressed.  But  Mr.  Jay  being  in  Paris,  I  at  once 
explained  my  conduct  to  him,  and  he  appeared  very  well  satisfied.  *  *  * 
"Whatever  has  been  thought  offensive,  you  see  the  Cincinnati  have  given 
it  up.  Now  the  new  frame  must  be  examined.  In  every  circumstance, 
my  dear  Sir,  depend  upon  it,  you  will  find  me  what  I  have  ever  been,  and 
perhaps  with  some  eclat,  a  warm  friend  to  the  army,  a  still  warmer  advo- 
cate for  the  cause  of  liberty  ;  but  those  two  things,  when  the  army  is  put 
to  the  proof,  you  will  ever  acknowledge  to  agree  with  each  other.^'  (YIII. 
Adams,  205.) 

8 


114 


JOURNAL  OF 


Major  L'Enfant  having  produced  his  accompt  for  his 
Agency  in  France; — ■  Ordered,  that  a  draft  be  made  on 
Gen.  M'Dougal,  Treasurer  of  this  Society,  for  the  sum  of 
six  hundred  and  thirty  dollars,  to  be  paid  to  Major  L'Enfant 
as  the  balance  of  his  accompt. 

On  motion,  resolved ;  —  That  Major  Turner  and  Captain 
Claypole  be  a  committee  to  superintend  and  procure  the 
engraving  on  the  Copper  Plate  brought  by  Major  L'Enfant 
from  France,  the  written  form  of  the  diploma,  as  approved 
by  the  Meeting.^ 

On  motion,  resolved That  the  thanks  of  this  Meeting 
be  presented  to  Major  L'Enfant  for  his  great  care  and 
attention  in  the  execution  of  the  business  of  this  Society 
committed  to  him  to  be  transacted  in  France. 

Eesolved,  that  a  Committee  of  Three  be  appointed  to 
revise  and  correct  the  proceedings  of  this  Meeting,  and  to 
make  out  the  Extracts  necessary  to  be  sent  to  the  Society 
in  France  and  to  the  several  State  Societies ;  —  Members 
chosen,  were  Gen.  Williams,  Col.  Trumball  and  Col.  Heth. 

Ordered,  that  the  Committee  for  procuring  the  written 
form  of  the  Diploma  to  be  engraved  on  the  Plate  do,  when 
the  same  is  executed,  deliver  the  Copper  Plate  into  the 
hands  of  the  Secretary  or  his  Assistant,  to  be  placed  in 
the  Archives  of  the  Society. 

Adjourned  till  to-morrow,  9  o'clock.  Previous  to  this 
adjournment  the  matter  of  wearing  the  badge  of  our 
Order  was  agitated,  as  to  time  and  place  wdien  it  would 

^  It  is  probable  that  all  the  ornamental  designs  of  the  diploma  were 
engraved  upon  the  copper-plate  in  France,  and  that  nothing  but  its  words  i 
were  inserted  here.    Impressions  on  vellum  of  the  plate  in  either  eondi-  ^ 
tion  are  before  the  editor.  ; 


THE  CIXCIXNATI. 


115 


be  proper :  and  it  appeared  fully  to  be  the  sense  of  the 
Meeting  that  it  should  not  be  ostentatious  and  in  common; 
and  only  on  days  of  convention  to  commemorate  the  In- 
stitution, or  when  we  were  to  attend  the  funeral  of  some 
deceased  Member.  Though  no  vote  was  called  or  taken 
(as  it  was  thought  in:iproper  so  to  do),  yet  this  was  under- 
stood to  be  a  general  sentiment,  and  meant  for  the  govern- 
ment of  every  Member  of  the  Cincinnati  while  residing  in 
this  country.  In  France,  it  is  supposed  that  a  different 
practice  would  prevail,  and  as  the  Bald  Eagle  is  there 
held  in  high  estimation,  that  it  will  generally  be  worn 
by  ximericans  on  their  travels  through  that  country  :  — 
at  least,  by  all  those  who  may  be  desirous  of  this  distinc- 
tion.^ 

Tuesday,  the  18th  of  May.  Assembled  agreeably  to 
adjournment.^ 

'  Though  the  badge  is  often  seen  in  the  portraits  of  the  original  mem- 
bers of  the  Society,  the  rule  laid  down  here  has  generally  been  followed 
in  every-day  life.  In  Europe,  however,  the  Order  was,  at  least  until  the 
triumph  of  the  French  Revolution,  constantly  borne  in  public.  Major 
L'Enfant  in  writing  to  the  N.  Y.  Society,  in  1786,  acknowledges  "  La 
favour  que  sa  Majeste  tres  Chrestienne  a  bien  voulu  nous  accorder,  en 
nous  permettant  de  porter  la  marque  de  notre  union  dans  son  royaume, 
ou  nul  autre  ordre  etrangere  est  tollere.  Le  credit  dont  nous  jouissons 
dans  les  autres  cours  d'Europe,  ou  nombre  de  nos  freres,  qui  y  sont  les 
premieres  en  rang  et  en  reputation,  y  font  briller  I'Aigle  de  Cincinnati," 
etc.    (Proceedings  of  N.  Y.  Soc,  1786,  p.  16.) 

^  Here  the  MS.  terminates  abruptly.  The  Meeting  probably  assembled 
on  the  18th  of  May  but  to  adjourn  sine  die. 


